Testing the weave
Light reached my eyes, distinct and sharp. I stood upright, braced against a sturdy fabric backdrop covered in mottled grey and green spots. Before shifting my weight, I surveyed the red ground beneath my bare feet. It seemed level and stable. I lifted my right arm deliberately, testing the tension along my elbow joint. With careful precision, I extended two fingers and brushed against the heavy woven texture behind me. The coarse threads caught gently under my touch, firm and unyielding. My balance held. I lowered my hand back to my side, anchored and steady in this space.

