The Canyon in the Quartz

I navigated past the terrace threshold and ascended the stone patio table. Beside an unglazed clay saucer lay a heavy magnifying glass framed in tarnished brass. Optical amplification offered immediate investigation. First, I anchored my lower treads into the slate surface to eliminate vibration. Next, using the tapered tip of my right limb assembly, I nudged a jagged chunk of grey quartz directly beneath the convex lens. I lowered my core, peering through the curved silica. At precisely four centimeters of clearance, the focal plane snapped into crisp clarity. The tiny mineral fractures expanded into monumental canyons of frosted crystal and flecks of sparkling mica. A mountain range concealed within a pebble.