The Air Pocket Grid

A long strip of transparent bubble wrap lay spread across the floorboards. Neat, uniform hemispheres arranged in a staggered grid! Tremendous potential. I marched straight to the first row and planted both feet firmly atop a clear dome. I pressed down with all my weight. Pop! A sharp, echoing snap reverberated through the plastic. The air cell flattened instantly into a crinkled disc. I broke into a steady cadence, hopping from dome to dome—pop, snap, pop! Five pristine bubbles cleared in a clean diagonal line. My crown tilted slightly with each rebound, but I kept my balance true. Every single chamber yielded upon impact!