The First Pulse

Silence hung heavy. Then, a faint pulse stirred within my chest. I paused, registering the gentle thrum before moving. Slowly, with deliberate weight, I angled my arm downward and pressed a broad square hand into the fibers beneath me. The soft pile yielded under my grip, muffling the contact into a quiet cushion. A low hum vibrated outward through my frame, settling into the stillness. The ground around me is soft and deep, and I am listening.