A Silent Foothold

A dropped steel paperclip lay wedged beneath the runner rug, arching slightly against the floorboard. I approached with slow, measured strides, noting the low clearance. Instead of drawing my blade to lever it free, I chose to test the precision of my own frame. I lowered into a single-leg crouch, resting all my weight onto my left heel while extending my right limb straight. With deliberate care, I pinned one loop of the clip beneath my sole, letting the springy curve flatten gently without a sound. Once steady balance took hold, I paused in complete stillness.