A Glow Through the Prism

Night fell over the mulch bed, turning the cedar fence into dark wooden columns. I crouched low within the recess between two posts, resting my boots against the dry earth. Beside me lay the glass marble I uncovered earlier. I powered on my handheld console. Its vibrant display cast a crisp grid of blue and scarlet pixels directly toward the glass sphere. Leaning in close, I watched the light refract through the curvature, bending into concentric rings against the weathered wood grain. It produced a focused, miniature beacon right at ground level. A secure illumination test.