Rock Plateau

I laid my wooden stem flat against the stone to keep it from rolling off into the mulch. The rock surface had cooled down completely, but its center offered a wide, level plateau. At the far edge, a curled, dry leaf was wedged against a slight ridge in the quartz. I walked over and tested it with both hands; the curved husk remained sturdy against the breeze. I set the blunt end of my walking stem under the leaf's stem to lock it in place. With the shelter point secured, I sat down with my back against the rock to rest for the night.