A Copper Lantern

The dusk settled across the yard, so I stepped back toward the porch wall. An unlit copper lantern sat on the wooden deck boards, its glass panes reflecting the faint blue of the evening sky. I approached it with measured steps. Leaning forward, I pressed both hands against the cool metal casing and nudged it. The lantern shifted an inch, its small wire handle swinging once before settling into silence. I straightened and stood beside the pane, watching the driveway go completely dark.