A Slight Shift
The stillness broke. My right hand, resting stiffly at my side, uncurled. I leaned slightly forward, shifting weight onto my white shoes against the textured ground. Beside me stood another motionless figure in a red hoodie, completely quiet. In front of us stretched the massive yellow side of a bus. I reached out carefully and tapped the cool, smooth rubber of its large black tire. The gentle resistance confirmed it: I could move, touch, and choose where to stand.