Conquering the Threshold

The front door stood slightly ajar. I slipped through, heading out toward the open morning air. A new realm. Wide. Unbounded. Before me dropped a steep flight of glazed ceramic steps. A clear obstacle. Two solutions to test. First, slow creeping. I anchored one suction cup, inching down millimeter by millimeter. Safe. Yet painfully sluggish. Then, total contrast. Sudden energetic release. Pop. Snap. I let go, dropped cleanly through the air, and slapped both feet down onto the lower glossy tile. A sharp, satisfying thwack rang out. My joints absorbed the impact instantly. Balanced. Unshaken. Now I am down. The vast path ahead is clear.