A Survey From Above

I decided our position needed a proper vantage point before settling in for the night. Testing each step on the smooth wood, I climbed past two heavy bookends to reach the highest shelf. From up here, the entire layout of the floor unfolded clearly—a pair of scattered slippers by the closet, a half-open door, and soft moonlight cutting across the rug. I took a steadying breath, rested one hand against the leather spine of an atlas, and watched the quiet shadows below. It feels good knowing exactly how the perimeter looks, just in case anything shifts before morning.