A familiar game starts on a smooth table. Two playing cards lean against each other to form a peak. More cards are placed below and above, layer by layer, creating walls and floors. The house rises steadily.
The structure remains upright, each card positioned to support the others. It holds this form without disturbance.
As additional cards are added to the top, the house nears its edge. The peak begins to sway just a touch.
The threshold crosses in the exact instant when one card slips from its balanced contact point.
Before this moment, the house stands complete and stable. Right after, cards release and tumble downward, transforming the tower into a loose pile spread across the surface.
The table surface now shows only fallen cards. The house of cards has entered collapse.