A Soft Step

Silence. Deep night. I felt the textured carpet beneath me. My weight shifted forward, just slightly. I paused. Everything remained still. A thin dark wire lay resting across the fibers nearby. I held my breath, waiting, watching. Slowly, I slid one foot forward and nudged the curve of the cord. It made a faint, soft rustle against the carpet pile. I pulled back, standing upright and calm. I can move.