A Firm Foothold

Everything was still. The green beneath my feet did not shift. Slowly, I lifted my right foot, testing its weight, and took a single measured step forward. My toe tapped against one of the rounded grey stones encircling me. The pebble budged slightly, rolling an inch outward. I paused. The boundary had changed. Carefully, I reached down with both hands and nudged the stone back into an exact, neat curve. Satisfied with the restored circle, I planted both feet firmly on the ground once more.