The First Interior Rung

The slick varnish of the hallway offered no natural footholds, but the lower crossbar of a heavy oak chair stood perfectly level just above the floorboards. I approached the carved timber leg and tested its heft with a firm shove—the wood did not budge. Bracing my boots against the smooth grain, I sprang upward, catching the rounded rung with both forearms and levering my weight onto the beam. Standing balanced on the crossbar with my bow held steady, the vast indoor terrain spread out below in full view. Interior high ground secured.