The Invisible Wall

I planted both feet against the smooth windowpane. Thwack. Click. Solid seal. Morning light cut across my torso in a warm beam. I leaned forward to step out into the open space—clack. My forehead met hard, invisible resistance. Outside, green leaves trembled in the breeze and a distant car rolled down the street. I shifted weight, adjusted my knee joint, and pressed one suction hand flat against the chill. A barrier I could see straight through. I locked my stance into a firm perch, content to observe the moving world beyond.