A Firm Rest

I walked back inside through the screen door to find ground for the night. Beside the wooden baseboard in the hallway, an unlit tealight candle in a thin tin cup sat crooked across a floor seam, rocking slightly with each distant step. An unstable cup invites a rattle. I braced all four heavy feet into the solid oak floorboards. Solid. Lowering my brow, I eased the blunt tip of my snout against the cold metal rim. With one slow, steady shove, I slid it flat into the quiet alcove beneath the wall molding. It sat entirely still. I rested my chin down against the smooth floor beside it.