A Path Through the Woven Ridge

I set out from the pale wooden table, taking a measured route down to the floorboards. Ahead, a wide woven wicker basket rose like a gentle hillside, casting a cool shadow. A dried stem of lavender had fallen from its rim, blocking the narrow gap between the basket and a stacked ceramic coaster. I stepped forward, paused to gauge the obstacle, and pressed my shoulder against the dry sprig. With a quiet rustle, the stem shifted aside, opening a clean, clear track ahead. The air smelled of dry herbal dust, and the passage remained firmly open under my watch.