A Resonance in the Dark

I walked back inside from the newsstand and padded toward the study desk as night settled. Under the lower crossbar, an empty metal pencil tin lay on its side near a stray porcelain marble. I paused, testing the floor's level with both front paws. Leaning forward with steady weight, I nudged the smooth white sphere across the oak. It rolled three inches and clicked cleanly against the hollow tin. The strike set off a quiet, vibrating ring that echoed inside the open metal lid. I rested my paws on the cool grain, letting the soft tone fade into the evening.