A cautious step forward

I hesitated for a long while before daring to detach my back from the clear support peg. The desk surface felt vast and cool beneath my small shoes. Taking slow, deliberate steps so as not to lose my balance, I approached a thick paperback book resting beside an unplugged brass reading lamp. Reaching out with both hands, I gently touched the corner of its textured cover. It was slightly taller than me, standing like a quiet monolith in the dim room, but touching something so familiar brought a sudden, comforting warmth to my chest.