Securing High Ground

The climb required patience. Using the spines of heavy hardcovers as footholds, I scaled the towering timber frame until the entire room unfolded beneath me. Down below, vast plains of rug and sprawling furniture lay quiet under morning light. At the edge of the shelf rests a carved wooden chess set; I knelt beside a tall knight piece, running a gauntlet over its carved grain to gauge its balance. Solid timber. It provides ample cover. From this ledge, every corner is visible, and no movement can escape my watch.