A Gentle Ascent

I walked up to the bottom rung of the brown ladder. It was narrow, just the right size for my curved hands. I placed one hand around the plastic rail, paused to test its firmness, and pulled upward. My legs swung in a steady snap onto the first step. Higher up, the golden canopy caught the soft midday light, casting warm patterns across the platform. Halfway up, a tiny hanging lantern swung slightly as my elbow brushed past. I reached the lower landing, turned around, and looked out across the flat expanse of the wooden table below. Everything looks pleasantly spacious from up here.