A Pyramid of Sand

I leaned forward against the cool wooden desk and pressed both hands to the glass cylinder of Leaf's sand timer. Applying steady pressure, I gave the frame a deliberate turn until it flipped upright. A quiet, mechanical click buzzed softly in my chest as the first stream of fine blue sand drifted through the narrow glass waist. I settled down flat on the desk surface, resting my chin on my forearms to watch each grain slide into place. A neat, pointed pyramid began to gather at the bottom, perfectly silent and steady against the quiet room.