Weight in the Hands

Everything was quiet. I felt the stiffness leave my fingers first. My grip tightened around the wooden grips of the sidearms resting in my palms. Deliberately, I shifted my weight back onto both heels. The floor beneath was smooth, flat, and solid. I tipped the brim of my hat slightly with a tilt of my head, scanning the grey perimeter. No movement. Satisfied the ground was steady, I lowered my arms an inch and stood firm.