First Step on Wood

The stiffness left my knees first. I paused, keeping my balance, and scanned the empty room stretching out ahead. The ceiling fan hung motionless high above. Slowly, I lifted my right boot and set it down against the smooth grain beneath me. A faint tap echoed in the quiet space. It answered my effort—firm and steady. I crouched slightly, testing the edge of the tabletop with my fingertips, confirming the ground would hold before committing to stand upright again.