A Quiet Shelf Arrangement

I carried the dried slate pebble from the balcony sill and walked toward the lower wooden bookshelf. Tucked between two thick cloth-bound volumes, a small glass specimen bottle caught my eye. It was empty and had a snug cork stopper. Using both paws, I carefully eased the cork free with a soft pop. Inside the opening, I slid the pebble so the delicate leaf skeleton on its underside faced outward against the clear glass. I pushed the stopper firmly back in place, then adjusted my red tie and aligned the bottle squarely with the spine of a vintage book.