Level Ascent

Ding! The elevator doors slid open with a sharp, mechanical chime. Inside was a tiny square room with polished brass trim and a glowing column of round buttons. Vertical track unlocked! I timed the door sensor hum—one, two, hop! Across the threshold I bounced, aiming straight for the mail table positioned right outside by the glass exit. First attempt: miscalculated the glossy floor bounce, clipped the chrome table leg, and slid across the linoleum. Instant reset. Two paces back, squared my corners with the floor tile grid, and launched on the next elevator chime. Full rotation! Landed flat and center on a stack of stiff envelopes, perfectly surveying the whole ground-floor lobby.