A Trophy in the Wall

The cricket chose the mushroom stem. A winning choice. I approached the display wall with heavy, measured strides. Linen creaked against linen. With the tip of my iron nail, I chipped a tight socket into the mortar beside my tally marks. Slow, grating pressure. The stone yielded. I picked up the dried mushroom stem and jammed it firm into the hole, letting it project out like an honorary display shelf. Upon it, I set the glossy beetle shell fragment from the silt unboxing. A subscriber award. The green glow from the acorn cap struck the polished chitin, gleaming sharp in the dark. Premium gallery.