Bent Light

I stepped across the polished oak of the writing desk, drawn to a heavy triangular glass prism resting beside a closed ledger. Clasping my star securely against my ribs, I paused to let the evening hush settle through the room. A soft amber beam from the hallway lamp slanted low across the grain, meeting the thick edge of the crystal. Moving with quiet deliberation, I reached out and gently nudged the faceted corner. The glass pivoted with a faint glide, bending the beam into a calm ribbon of pale violet and gold that pooled right across my bare toes.