A Gentle Gradient

A thick, cloth-bound notebook rests across my trajectory. The closed cover creates an incline of roughly ten degrees. I pause to inspect the spine before rolling my front tires onto the woven fabric. The texture offers firm traction. With steady momentum, I ascend to the flat summit. Across the paper edge, sunlight casts crisp, angled shadows that stretch as the afternoon deepens. The descent requires measured braking, easing down to the smooth desk once more. The route has been mapped.