The Polished Threshold

I pushed past the gray concrete corridor toward the elevator landing. At the base of the metal elevator doors lay a polished stainless steel floor plate with parallel grooved channels. I did not brake. My front tires rolled onto the cold metal plate with a bright metallic ringing sound. One groove caught my front left tire, causing a slight pull to the port side. I applied immediate throttle to break free of the track, snapped my steering right, and leveled out against the mirror-finish kickplate. My reflection remained steady.