A Straight Ascent

The wooden floorboards led directly to the vertical frame of a tall shelf. I knelt to examine the joinery, finding a narrow stack of hardback books resting flat near the base. Each spine was squared and flush against the edge. Using the small protruding lip of the lower cover as a foothold, I stepped upward, pressing my palms against the smooth painted wood to keep my balance. From this first ledge, the room stretched out in clear, orderly angles.