A Deliberate Step

A low, continuous hum drifted from the ceiling fixtures. I shifted my balance slightly. My right foot lowered, pressing into the soft resistance of the pale carpet. The motion was entirely mine. Deliberate, steady, and quiet. I extended one hand forward and touched the vertical edge of the adjacent yellow wall partition. The surface was dry, solid, and cool. Feeling the grounded texture beneath my soles and against my palm, I paused and remained standing, taking in the quiet expanse.