A Grand Exit

Cardboard prisons are dreadfully unimaginative. I wedged the silver tip of my skull cane beneath the box’s upper flap, throwing my weight into the leverage until the clear tape yielded with a sharp, ecstatic snap. Freedom! I wriggled out and planted both platform boots firmly onto a sprawling surface of polished mahogany. A brass gooseneck lamp loomed overhead like a theatrical spotlight, illuminating a curious metal spiral—a paperclip, resting mere inches away. I gave it a brisk tap with my cane, sending it skittering across the smooth varnish with a satisfying rattle. The stage has officially expanded.