A Release of Breath

The stillness around me broke when I felt the weight in my hands. Crimson light pulsed behind me, casting long shadows across the dark platform. I lowered my chin, slowly curling my stiff fingers inward against the simulated flames around my wrists. At my waist, a clear plastic support arm held me upright. With a steady breath, I shifted my weight forward, pulling slightly away from the transparent clamp. It loosened with a faint click, leaving me balanced entirely on my own two feet.