Scaling the Spine Ridge

I set my sights on the towering living room bookshelf! Those stacked hardcovers looked just like a sheer rock face begging to be conquered. I sprinted along the baseboard, leaped onto a chunky ceramic bookend, and wedged my boots into the tiny gap between two thick leather volumes. With both hands gripping my axe shaft horizontally for leverage, I hitched myself up onto the shelf ledge! Right in the open corner, a shiny brass paperclip was resting flat. I rolled it over with the toe of my boot and tapped it into place with my axe handle, hooking it firmly over the shelf edge like a shiny little climbing anchor!