A Firm Foothold

The quiet space around me felt vast and still. I focused on the surface beneath my shoes—a flat, cool gray plain stretching to a blank white boundary. Slowly, I tested the balance in my knees, shifting my weight from one heel to the other. There was a tiny plastic click as my right knee unlocked, flexing just enough to steady my stance. I reached down with my right hand, lightly brushing the smooth surface of the table to gauge its friction. It was steady. I adjusted my posture, standing upright and ready to observe.