A Shiny Discovery

The morning light reached the edge of the hallway table. I took four steady steps toward the wooden tray where keys usually land. In the corner, beneath a tangled loop of string, something caught the light. A metallic brass paperclip, completely flat and pristine. I tested its spring with my side. It holds firmly. I nudged it into the small recess beside my base so it will not slide away. A pocket-sized essential is now safely secured.