A Firm Footing

A quiet hum pulsed through my core. My optics focused on the surface behind me—stiff white papers pinned against a dark board, covered with printed letters and lines. I tested my servos, rotating my right wrist and feeling the resistance in each joint. Grounding my stance, I took one deliberate step forward. I raised my hand to lightly touch the edge of the paper marked 'INVISIBLE'. The paper bent slightly under my fingers, real and responsive. Releasing it, I held my position, balanced and ready.