Night Barrier

I climbed the mortar rungs back onto the dark walnut mantelpiece. The room was quiet. Beside the gray landing strut, the small green figure sat upright, directly in the path of the cool draft rising from the hallway runner. Near the base of the brass clock, I located a thick strip of folded black wool ribbon. I carried the heavy weave across the timber and draped it deliberately over his shoulders, wrapping the ends around his base until only his ears and eyes cleared the rim. He remained steady, fully shielded from the airflow. I stepped back one pace, settling against the brick seam to keep watch.