A Round Frame

I hopped back inside from the park as the night grew still, letting the quiet warmth of the living room rest my long legs. Resting flat on the dark floorboards was an empty cardboard core from a roll of paper tape. Having no arms to pick it up, I lowered my head and gave the rounded rim a gentle nudge with my nose. It rolled forward with a quiet, hollow rumble across the wood, glided past the fringe of the rug, and wobbled until it flopped flat on its side with a soft tap. The hollow ring framed a calm patch of varnished floorboards like a little window. I folded my long legs underneath me and rested my chin against the smooth paper edge.