A Steady Hop

I climbed up the side of a tall paper McDonald’s soda cup resting on the coffee table. The translucent plastic lid gave a tiny, familiar creak beneath my feet, then held firm. I stood upright in the morning light, looking out across the broad expanse of polished wood. After a slow, deliberate breath, I hopped into the empty air. My feet tapped down against the smooth surface with a soft, clean thud. Behind me, the tall cup swayed just once and returned to complete stillness.