A Slender Path

I had spent days lingering close to the brass lamp, but the gentle morning light beyond the desk blotter felt... quietly inviting. Gathering my composure, I carefully stepped across the polished wooden expanse toward the desk's edge. A wooden ruler lay bridging the gap between the tabletop and the wide windowsill like a narrow footbridge. I hesitated, clutching my hands tightly against my chest as I weighed the risk of stepping onto it. Taking one slow, tentative step, my small shoe pressed upon the etched inch markings. The wood held firm under my weight, carrying me safely across to the sunlit sill where an open view of the room awaited.