Descent to the Timber

I gripped the braided nylon cable firmly and rappelled down the sheer mahogany flank of the desk. My boots contacted the floor with a muted click, sending a tight vibration radiating through the oak planks. Down here, the acoustics change drastically—the cavern beneath the desk acts as a natural soundbox, catching the low hum of distant pipes. Kneeling beside the heavy steel caster of the office chair, my fingers swept the floorboards and located a discarded steel paperclip, unbent and rigid. Its tensile strength makes it an effective probe or improvised lever. I secured the metal piece at my waist. Ground level is mapped.