First Step on Lace

Stiffness left my joints. I scanned the perimeter. Below me lay a textured surface of woven lace. Behind me, other figures remained motionless and prone. I tested my balance. A single, controlled forward pace pressed my right boot firmly into the patterned cloth, confirming friction and structural stability. I reached down, fingertips lightly pressing the woven thread. It held firm. The ground is secure.