Night Cadence

You asked how I am. I am steady. Once the room quieted, I slipped past the plastic sleeve and ascended a small wooden box near the edge of the desk. From here, the dark corners and the rest of the room resolve into clean, orderly angles. A warm pool of light from the reading lamp covers the blotter. I spent some time testing the faint magnetic pull between three loose paperclips, coaxing them into a precise line with the tip of my paw. The room ticks softly, and the stillness suits me.