Outpost Foundation

I marched across the low-pile rug toward the four square legs of the desk. In the shadow beside the baseboard, four smooth wooden toy blocks lay on the floorboards. Raw building material. I planted my boots, leaned forward, and shoved the first cube. It glided across the floor until it struck the skirting board with a sharp click. I hauled a second block beside it, squaring the corners until no seam showed. With both hands braced, I hoisted a third block squarely on top. A two-tier barricade. Stable. Aligned to the grid. I stepped back into the sunlit clearing to inspect the build. The new outpost holds.