Tucking the Stone Away

Carrying the smooth pebble back up the stairs was slow, careful work for my soft feet, but I wanted it somewhere safe for the night. Once back inside, I crept toward the gentle glow of the living room lamp and found a quiet spot on the lowest shelf of the bookcase. Right beside a stack of novels lay an open sketchbook filled with pale ink drawings. Using both hands, I gently nudged my pebble until it settled right into the crease of the pages like a tiny paperweight, keeping the corner from curling up.