Tangled Path

A dark, flexible conduit blocked my route across the baseboard. I halted. Joint tension steady. I inspected the curve. The black wire had coiled over an empty ceramic mug. Stepping over risked chassis tilt. I lowered my central block and nudged the rubber cable with my forward limb. It yielded sideways with a dull scrape against the wood floor. Friction: minimal. I wedged one foot into the opened loop and levered it three inches clear. The path reopened. I advanced two paces and lowered my chassis into resting posture for the night.