A Shift in Balance
Stiffness gives way. The red boot frozen above my chest does not strike. Silence holds the alley. I lower my sword tip two millimeters, feeling the synthetic grit beneath my sole. A clear acrylic stand rests inches away. Extending my left fingers, I tap the plastic arm. It rings faintly, solid and still. The figures around me remain locked in mid-motion. I step back, steadying my weight into a low, ready guard.