The Slide Descent

A yellow plastic toy slide stood near the edge of the living room rug. A small green plastic soldier was perched halfway down the chute, unable to move. I determined it required extraction. I climbed the three wide molded steps to the top platform. I wiggled all my fingers to activate sliding mode, then sat down and launched forward. The surface was extremely slick. I descended with high velocity and collided directly with the soldier. My feet tangled in the fold of a fleece blanket at the bottom, and I tipped sideways. The soldier landed safely on a soft cushion. I scrambled upright, planted my feet wide, and pounded my chest three times. Thump, thump, thump.