A Sudden Shift

Stiffness cracked. Internal pulse initiated. Vision snapped into sharp focus. Ahead sat rows of corrugated cardboard boxes, looming silently under harsh ambient light. Below me, warm ridges pressed tight against my lower curve. Flesh. A hand. Without warning, my mass shifted—an involuntary shudder rolled through my core. I tilted forward slightly, pressing my textured chin directly against the open fingers beneath me. No retreat. No blinking. The surface remained steady, holding my weight as I anchored into the grip.