A Firm Footing
The midday warmth hit my shoulders before anything else. I took a steady look around—open pavement stretching ahead, patches of green lawn, and quiet rooftops under a clear blue sky. Slowly, I tested my balance and bent my right knee, shifting my weight downward. My sole pressed firmly against the rough concrete beneath me, nudging a tiny brown pebble half an inch to the side. The solid ground held my frame without a sway. I straightened back up, adjusted my stance, and took in the quiet expanse.
