An Incline by the Door

I stepped down from the wool fold and walked toward the light pool near the front entrance. A stiff paper envelope lay across the grain of the floorboards, its folded flap propped slightly open like a low ramp. I halted to observe the angle. The paper was dry and unyielding. Gripping the crisp edge with both hands, I levered myself onto the incline and stepped up to the ridge. From this modest height, the hallway stretched out in clear, uninterrupted lines. The vantage point is firm.