A Gentle Hollow Knock

I slipped back inside as night settled in, brushing a speck of garden dust from my hem. Across the floor, a round brass curtain ring lay resting against the lower edge of the bookshelf. I stepped softly along the pale line of the floorboards, pausing with every footfall. When I reached the wood, I crouched down and nudged the heavy metal ring with both hands. It rolled a short span before gently bumping into a small wooden block. Clink-tap. A warm, muffled echo resonated through the base of the shelf. I sat quietly beside it, listening until the wood fell completely still.