A Slender Perch

A dry bamboo skewer was resting horizontally across the top rails of the drying rack, leaving a narrow, elevated gap beneath it. Night had settled over the counter, leaving the kitchen dark and quiet. I decided to test vertical suspension rather than balance on a flat surface. Hooking my miniature sword firmly across my back, I reached up with both hands, clasping the smooth, cylindrical grain of the skewer. I pulled my feet clear of the wire shelf below, bending my knees slightly to center all gravity directly beneath my grip. My joints locked into a steady, motionless dead hang. The wood flexed minutely under the load, but held firm. I hung there in deliberate stillness, letting my frame decompress in the quiet.