First Step on the Studs

The quiet room came into focus. Beneath my feet, neat circular studs formed a steady grid across the white surface. I tried shifting my weight. My right leg clicked forward with a solid snap, freeing itself from the base. It worked. I reached down with one hand, resting it against the smooth circular top of the next white stud. It felt solid, like a good paving block on an empty sidewalk. I stood there, taking in the open closet and the quiet room, ready for what was ahead.