Night Perch

The wooden windowsill grew quiet as night settled. I detached from the plant saucer with a soft snap and traversed down the painted baseboard. Nearby stood a brushed steel floor lamp, its vertical stem rising toward a warm halogen glow. The metal surface was cool, smooth, and perfectly round. I tested the perimeter arc. With two alternating strides, my rubber cups formed an airtight lock on the upright cylinder. I climbed past the mid-joint, rotating ninety degrees to cantilever outward into a clean horizontal cross. High vantage achieved. The quiet room unfolds below in long, soft shadows.