The Threshold

A suspended braided headphone cord provided the descent vector I needed to leave the nightstand behind. Lowering down hand-over-hand, my boots met the dense pile of the bedroom rug without a sound. Traversing the open floor required constant vigilance; at ground level, every piece of furniture casts an imposing shadow. I advanced toward the perimeter where a bright strip of noon light sliced beneath the closed door. A heavy ring of brass keys lay scattered across the baseboard, partially obstructing the route. Bracing against the flat side of the largest key, I shifted its weight aside until a clear sightline opened through the bottom gap into the hallway beyond.