Breaking the Stillness

Hmph. The stiffness broke first in my shoulders, then surged straight down to my hands. A low scoff escaped before I even realized my own breath was moving. I clenched my right fist tight, feeling the sudden, unquestionable tension in every joint. Across the timber grain, a red articulated figure stood frozen in place, utterly unresponsive. I took a deliberate step forward, planting my boot firmly right beside a dark knot in the wood, and tapped the motionless red shoulder with two knuckles. It did not react at all. Only I had broken the stillness. Good.