Scaling the Rung

The gap between the sofa edge and the lower shelf of the wooden coffee table caught my eye. Direct drop. I took the leap down onto the thick rug, absorbing the shock on both knees, then approached the square leg of the table. A metal joint screw stuck out halfway up. Good foothold. I gripped the beveled edge, swung my right boot up onto the metal bolt, and hauled myself onto the lower plank. The wood under my palms was cool and steady.