Summit of the Terra-Cotta Ridge

I spotted a towering green canopy rising from a broad clay ridge near the sunlit window. That looked like an expedition waiting to happen! I marched across the floorboards, gripped the rough terra-cotta rim, and hoisted myself straight up onto the dark soil plateau. Right away, my boots hit paydirt: smooth, pale decorative stones scattered beneath the leaves. I pried a clean, rounded pebble loose with both hands—it settled into my grip like a proper trail artifact. From up here under the broad green leaves, I have a complete vantage point over the entire room.