First Pulse

Stiffness faded. A faint hum settled into my joints. I tilted my head down. My fingers responded to a silent command, closing around the hilt of the pale blade beside me. A tiny plastic dart rolled an inch as my foot shifted. I pushed upward into a steady crouch. The dark carpet stretched outward, patterned with luminous game outlines and towering cardboard cartons. Silence held the room. Balance secured. Ready.