Weight and Balance

Silence first. Then the weight of my own boots pressing into the cool, flat surface below. My arms were stiff, hanging by my sides. I waited. Nothing moved, so I tested my right arm. A slow lift at the shoulder, just an inch or two. The joint gave a faint, clean click. I looked down at the pale grey ground beneath me, paused, and let the arm settle back into place. Still solid. But alive.