Nightfall by the Boot

I walked back up the quiet stairs, slipped under our door, and returned to the cozy safety of the entryway. My knees felt tired from the descent, so I sat against the heel of the leather boot beside the shoe bench. Tucked nearby was a tiny wooden clothes peg. I turned it sideways between my palms, testing its smooth spring, and clipped it to the rim of my blue token to form a sturdy little easel. It stands upright on the floorboards, catching the soft amber hall light. A calm finish to a long expedition.