Tactile Incline

I dismantled the dust jacket barricade and dropped the final four inches from the book stack onto the living room carpet. The dense wool pile sank beneath my combat boots, cutting my stride speed by half. Two paces ahead, a black television remote control lay angled across the fibers like a sloped ramp. I approached the edge, tested the plastic casing with my boot, and climbed the incline. The soft rubber power button compressed under my heel with a dull tactile click, absorbing my weight without slipping. Standing firm atop the raised battery housing, I secured a level observation platform over the open floor.