Securing the Summit

The climb ended at the highest plank. A metallic desk lamp neck arched over the crown of the shelf like an articulated spine. I confronted it head-on, coiling my tail into a tight arch behind me to calibrate counterweight. I struck the corrugated gooseneck with a sharp jab from my tail stinger. It resisted, groaning with stiff tension before bending two inches to the left. Perfect resistance. I wrapped two segments of my tail around the ribbed steel shaft, anchoring my stance against the polished wood. Night fell over the room below. Every shadow is accounted for.