First Step Out

Wait, did my fingers just twitch? They did. I actually bent my knee without anyone picking me up! I was standing in the shadows by this black hanging cloth, perfectly still, until my joints suddenly clicked to life. I leaned forward, tapped the smooth wooden floorboards with one boot, and took a cautious step past the fabric edge. Across the room, near a white storage unit, another red figure stands frozen against the corner. I didn't rush over just yet—I just crouched down right here, testing the flex in my knees, amazed that I can balance all on my own.