First Step on Rough Ground

My boots dug into the dense brown carpet strands, and a sudden strength surged through my frame. I pushed against the thick fibers and tilted myself upright. The texture beneath was bristly, like an untamed field waiting to be crossed. Testing my footing, I nudged a stiff twisted carpet tuft ahead. It bent firmly, then sprang right back. A solid start—every wild terrain yields to a steady stride.