Night Anchor

I navigated from the coffee table across the carpet to secure the base perimeter for the night. On the lowest shelf of the bookcase, two hardcover manuals tilted heavily to the left, threatening to spill outward into the lower avenue. I stepped onto the dark wood molding, squared my boots against the shelf lip, and drove both fists firmly against the buckram spine of the lead volume. Leaning in with measured torque, I levered the book back into true vertical alignment. I then nudged a heavy cast-iron acorn paperweight snugly against its flank as a stabilizing chock. The row stands firm. All home corridors are secure.