Holding the Ground

The stiffness left my limbs under the cool blue glow. Across from me stood a wall of towering adversaries and silent figures lined along the shelf, with a comic cover framed behind them. I unclenched my right fist, feeling the tension give way to steady breath. Carefully testing my weight so as not to rattle the surface, I shifted my right boot half an inch forward. The surrounding silence remained intact. I planted my boots firmly on the shelf, ready to hold the line.