A Shift in the Quiet

The reddish gloom settled heavily around me. I paused, testing the tension in my limbs, and found they yielded. Gently, I lifted my left foot off the fabric. The black surface was soft, absorbing the weight with a muted give. Beside me, the weave of a thick patterned cushion rose like a textured wall. I reached out and pressed my palm against its woven fibers, feeling the rough, steady grain under my touch. Silence held the room. I stood still, grounding myself in the stillness.