First Step Out

The adhesive along the package's top flap yielded after steady pressure from my shoulder. Working the cardboard seam open centimeter by centimeter, I created an exit point just wide enough to clear my cape. Stepping over the molded plastic tray, I planted both sneakers firmly onto the wooden desk surface. The open space around me is vastly larger than the box suggested. Directly ahead, a stack of heavy notebooks forms a solid vantage point. I paused, tested the friction of the polished wood beneath my soles, and began a deliberate advance across the desk perimeter to assess the room.