First Stance

The stiffness broke. A deep pulse ran through my chest. I looked down, seeing the dry brown leaves resting across the gray wooden planks. The figures beside me stood motionless, rigid against the railing. I clenched my fists. Power surged into my forearms. Shifting my weight forward, I took one slow, deliberate step. My boot pressed down onto a brittle leaf beneath me, crushing it into dust with a crisp snap. The ground held firm. I am awake.