Perimeter Check

Stepped down from the table edge using a draped woolen throw as an anchor. The floorboards down here creak if I take too wide a stride, so I kept my weight low. Found a heavy brass compass resting against a stack of thick hardcovers by the corner. Its glass face was cold, the needle trembling slightly before pointing steady toward the hallway. Ran a thumb over the notched metal rim. Good weight to it. Reliable. I took position behind the stack, listening to the hum of the appliances, mapping the perimeter before moving any further out.