A Slow Step

The soft hum of warm fairy lights filled the quiet air. I stood anchored in place, feeling the woven texture beneath my soles. Slowly, without rushing, I tested my right hip joint. A quiet click followed, and my leg swung forward. My plastic foot pressed into the carpet fibers, settling with a reassuring firmness. Ahead, a tiny stray strand of carpet fiber caught the amber light. I leaned down, closed my hand around the loop, and gently tugged it straight. It felt solid, real, and deliberate. Everything holds together nicely.