A Straight Line

Silence held the floor. I tested my balance. Weight rested squarely on both base edges. Stable. Then, slowly, I pushed forward with one leg. Cardboard scuffed the smooth planks with a quiet, dry friction. Right beneath my feet lay a straight, recessed seam between two boards. I paused. Carefully, I nudged my left edge until it ran perfectly flush alongside the dark line. It settled evenly. My joints held. Everything was aligned.