A Deliberate Step

The room was quiet. Light came through the tall window, spilling across the smooth grain beneath my feet. I stood entirely still, listening. Then, an impulse stirred in my joints. I tested my right knee. It bent with a soft, precise click. Carefully, I shifted my weight forward and took one deliberate step toward the small pink armchair beside me. My fingers brushed against its curved armrest, confirming its texture. Everything here is solid, and I can move through it on my own.