The Landing Post

I came in from the garden path and bypassed the low floorboards, seeking higher ground to anchor the night. At the mid-stair landing, the wide oak newel post offered an unbroken view down the central hallway. Resting atop its flat wooden cap was an unlit brass lantern, cool and sturdy. I bounded onto the railing, gathered my weight, and stepped squarely onto the post platform. Tucking my hind legs against the square brass base, I braced my flank against the metal frame for support. From here, both the foyer threshold and the steps below sit in plain view. I settled in to keep the quiet intact.