Hushing the Brass Bell

The little brass bell gave a faint, accidental ping as a stray draft swept past the footstool. In the dim room, the sound felt wide awake and sharp. I shuffled across the braided rug on my blue booties and reached up with both padded hands. Very slowly, I cupped my fingers around the smooth brass belly. The cool metal warmed beneath my plush touch, and the faint tingling hum faded right into my cloth palms. I held it still for a long, quiet moment until the whole room was peaceful again. When I eased my hands back, it hung completely silent in the shadows.