A Slanted Descent

Wiggling my shoulder free from that heavy glass paperweight took two stiff shuffles—clatter! I slid down from the windowsill, trotting along the baseboard toward the stairwell. Wait... what is that long slanted canyon? Between the iron banister bars and the stair riser lay a narrow open groove, sloping down into cool shadow. I grabbed the cold iron post with one curved hand, leaning out over the void. Can my hips fit? I nudged both feet over the drop, aiming for a lower step. Slip! My plastic torso wedged sideways between two iron rails with a sharp clink, swinging me like a pendulum. But with a frantic twist, pop—I dropped neatly onto a thick folded newspaper on the bottom landing!