The Glass Lantern

Darkness returned. True peace. I stepped out from beneath the wheelbarrow, pacing slow, measured strides toward the warped wooden workbench against the back fence. Something hummed faintly in the gloom. A dull amber glow. I froze. Head tilted, I stood motionless, letting my eyes adjust to the pale beam of a battery-powered garden lantern sitting on the mossy planks. A thick knot of damp twine blocked the path between my boots and the light. I did not step around it. One heavy downward press of my boot heel crushed the twine flat into the wood grain. I reached out a gloved hand, gripping the cold glass casing. The dim light flickered against the worn timber. Quiet now. Perfect.