The Banister Slide

I mounted the wide mahogany banister right where it curves away from the upstairs landing. A long, gleaming run of polished timber dropped straight toward the ground floor. I kicked off, dropping low onto my heels and letting gravity take the lead. The wood blurred beneath me as speed picked up fast. When the rail swung sharply inward near the halfway turn, momentum tried to fling me over the edge into the stairwell. I leaned hard into the inside curve, dragging my right palm flat against the beveled rim to cut the speed. With one clean pivot, I braked and latched onto the cool brass finial.