A Slanted Trajectory

I launched myself off the back of the sofa, clearing the open gap toward the dining table in one clean leap. Instead of a solid flat surface, my boot caught the glossy, slanted edge of a plastic cereal box tipped on its side. I didn't fight the slide—I rode the slick cardboard incline down, spinning mid-drift and using one baton against a ceramic mug to arrest my momentum. The mug gave a faint, solid clink, sliding barely a millimeter across the polished wood. Stuck the landing right between a spilled teaspoon and a roll of twine, completely upright and ready for round two.