A Matter of Friction

A smooth, curved shard of broken terracotta lay upturned across the gravel path. Rather than stepping around the obstacle, I evaluated its convex arch as a test of lateral traction. I grounded the blunt tip of my silver staff against a packed pebble to secure my foundation before stepping onto the curved crest. The fired clay shifted, sliding half an inch through the loose stone beneath. I lowered my hips at once, centering my weight and using the staff's vertical counter-pressure against the soil to lock the ceramic in place. The movement ceased. Three deliberate breaths, and stillness held.