Grid Inspection

A faint rhythmic tick drew me across the rug toward the metal floor grate. The parallel iron bars were spaced exactly five millimeters apart, a satisfying frequency of lines. I knelt on the wooden border and extended my claw toward the cool slat. A subtle upward draft brushed past my joints. I leaned forward, observing how the dark slots receded into the floor at precise right angles. Night settled into the room, and I remained stationary, calibrating my posture against the steady alignment of the iron grid.