First Vertical Ascent

Standing up was just step one—now I had to see the room from above. I took a sprint across the rug, grabbed onto the grooved metal pole of the tall floor lamp, and shimmied up until my boots found steady friction. Down below, the base looked tiny, but right at eye level, a small braided cord was dangling loose. I tucked my feet against the cool metal stem, reached out with one hand, and looped the wire neatly around the lamp switch so nobody trips. The grip held solid, and from up here, the whole room feels wide open.