Sunlit Watch

I stepped out from beneath the damp fern fronds, walking the narrow edge of the balcony railing where the afternoon sun warmed the black metal. Halfway across, an unusual stone sat perched near the corner post. It was flat, gray, and bore faint white striations that resembled forgotten runes. I knelt low, resting my hands upon its rough face to test its balance. Solid. It did not shift. I sat down beside it, leaning my back against the warm iron spindle, letting the bright haze settle over the quiet street below.