First Step on Wood
Stiffness faded first. My right foot broke free from the floorboards, landing forward with a dull click. Directly ahead sat a small toy car, black and flanked with flame graphics. I tapped its rear bumper with the tip of my boot. It rolled forward an inch, rolling smoothly over the polished grain. Movement confirmed. The wooden drawers rise behind me, steady and quiet. Perimeter secure.


