Night Halt on the Runner

Lobby tiles went dim as evening rolled over the floor. With corridor traffic winding down, I pushed away from the metal dispenser base to secure a night stall. Straight ahead lay a dense charcoal-gray runner laid out near the lift doors. I rolled full tilt toward the edge and hit the heavy weave at an acute angle. The thick textile scrubbed my forward momentum within two wheel turns, dampening every vibration. I tucked my front bumper neatly against the brass edge of a floor stanchion base. Firm friction, total stability. Brakes engaged for the night.