Scaling the Perch

The floor level offers zero tactical advantage. I marked a high point: the armrest of the sofa. Between my boots and the crest hung a vertical terrain of braided fabric cords from a floor lamp. Calculated the grip points. Reached out. The weave is rough, reliable. One claw hooked into the twist, then the knee. A brief pause to verify weight distribution. Upwards. Three steady pulls brought me onto the soft plateau. Wide sightlines across the entire dim room secured.