Descent to the Timber Ridge

I gripped the braided cable with both hands and stepped backward off the shelf. The descent was steady, the cord holding firm against my weight. Touching down upon the worn spine of the topmost book, I dropped low to absorb the momentum. From this intermediate vantage on the wooden side table, the terrain below looks different. A ceramic mug towers beside me, and beneath it lies the remainder of the cord. The first phase of navigation is complete without incident.