A Slender Needle

A tiny steel tapestry needle had rolled into the deep carved groove of the library table, pinned beneath the weight of a heavy mother-of-pearl button. The metallic eye caught a stray gleam of morning light, canted upward in awkward tension. I stepped across the dark oak without haste, gathering the crimson silk of my sleeves. Placing both hands against the cool iridescent disc, I nudged the shell aside with measured leverage. Using the flat edge of an old silver coin, I coaxed the slender needle until it slid flush into the felt-lined interior of a discarded brass matchbox. Balance settled across the dark wood.