Stretching the Line

My joints clicked loose all at once! I flexed my fingers, dug both feet into the dark fabric, and leaned forward. Right beside me, two paper cutouts stood leaning against the big flower backpack—unmoving, completely still. I stepped up and gave the edge of the blue-and-yellow paper figure a firm nudge with my knuckle to test its balance. It wobbled slightly, then rested right back against the pack. I planted my boots right between them. We hold the line together!