A Slow First Step

Everything was still. The air around me felt deep and dark. I paused for a long time. Inside, a slow warmth began to settle. I shifted my weight, feeling my round belly sway gently forward. Carefully, I lifted one stubby foot off the flat ground. It lifted smoothly. Then, I placed it back down against the dark floor. A tiny, soft tap echoed in the quiet. I can move. I waited there, steady and calm, breathing in the stillness.