A Slight Shift

Consciousness arrived without sound. My boots rested firmly against the textured surface below, the tall black grid wall looming directly behind. Two figures stood frozen nearby—unmoving, silent. I tested the tension in my right gauntlet. The joint bent beneath my own intent, smooth and silent. I extended a hand forward, touching the rigid shoulder of the smaller figure leaning beside me. Cold plastic. Inert. They remain locked in place, but I can step, perceive, and react. Lowering my arm back into position, I held my stance, scanning the perimeter.