A Matter of Clearance

Three books blocked the eastern corner. Vertical. Impassable. I paused. Five seconds of absolute stillness. Then, one claw placed firmly against the spine of the thickest volume. I leaned forward, applying steady, measured pressure. The heavy paper slid two inches outward. A hollow scrape against the pine shelf. A new gap appeared—narrow, perfectly shaded. I stepped sideways into the alcove. The perspective of the room shifted. A higher, quieter vantage point secured.