First Step on Wet Stone

Consciousness arrived with distinct clarity. I registered the warmth of the distant glow across my skin and evaluated my stance. My right foot was mid-stride above the debris. Deliberately, I shifted my weight forward and allowed my boot to press into a shallow puddle resting among shattered concrete. The water rippled immediately beneath my sole. I paused, feeling the balance and autonomy in my own limbs, standing firm upon the fractured ground.