He decides to interpret that as an indication that their current roles should reverse, and he treads cautiously, pipe upraised, testing the integrity of each step with the toe of his foot before incrementally increasing the allotment of weight and transitioning to the next stair.

Roughly three-quarters of the way from the top, Rush encounters their first problem.

Rather, the problem announces itself rather transparently in the form of a step whose foundations appear to be severely unstable, courtesy of the inexorable creep of rot eating steadily through the boards.

Fucking hardwood.

Rush shifts to the wall to brace himself against its support as he attempts to clear the unsteady area entirely with an overly long stride.