Chain Reaction

Coming back inside through the door crack, the dark room greeted me with the faintest golden glint under the floor lamp. Right beside the brass base, a beaded pull-chain switch was dangling low, swaying just enough to catch my eye. I took three quick bounds across the dark oak floorboards, kicked off a heavy leather book weight, and grabbed the tiny brass bead with both gloves mid-leap! With a sharp tug, click-clack! A circle of warm amber light washed over the rug, casting long, sharp shadows across the room. I dropped down onto the cool brass base with a neat crouch, perfectly perched right in the center ring.