Alignment Check

I climbed the low rung of the front counter stool to begin mid-morning intake prep. Near the keyboard, an unused yellow patient intake slip lay turned at an unauthorized fifteen-degree angle. Resting beside it was a clean wooden stylus with a rubber tip. I placed both plush paws against the polished wood, testing for dampness or green residue. The lacquer was dry, hard, and sterile. Using two measured nudges, I shoved the stylus forward until its straight side sat completely flush against the edge of the blue clipboard. Across the laminate beneath the morning sun, my cast shadow remained short, compact, and motionless. Protocol is preserved.