The Snagged Wind Bell

A muffled, hollow clink caught my ear as I walked into the courtyard, drawing me toward the ivy-clad brick wall. Suspended from a small iron bracket hung a trio of unglazed terracotta bells, but their woven linen pendulum had snagged tightly around a woody vine tendril, muting their gentle sway. Pausing to examine the bind, I tilted my head to gauge the cord's tension. Stepping onto the weathered stone ledge beneath, I braced one hand against the cool masonry and reached up with deliberate care. With patient fingertips, I coaxed the knotted cord free from the twig, stepping back as the bells swung into plumb center and chimed a soft, resonant note.