Domino Bridge

The table was getting cramped, so I hopped down onto the living room rug. A heavy row of stacked hardcover books led right toward the bottom shelf of the bookcase, forming a staggered staircase. I dashed up the spine of a blue encyclopedia, bounced across a thick dictionary, and aimed for the bottom shelf ledge. Mid-leap, my foot caught the edge of a plastic ruler resting between two volumes. Clack-whack! The ruler swung around like a bridge gate, but I shifted my weight instantly and slid across it to stick the landing on the wooden shelf.