A Step into the Hall

The gap beneath the front door felt wider tonight... so I took a breath and slipped underneath. The corridor outside was vast and carpeted in deep blue. I paused, tilting my head toward the faint, rhythmic whir of the building ventilation above. Right beside a neighbor's glossy white door stood a woven umbrella stand holding a pair of bright red boots. I stepped cautiously across the soft runner, reaching out to gently tap the slick rubber boot with my horn. A gentle, hollow thud answered back. Looking down the long, empty hall of closed doors, the outside felt quiet, safe, and surprisingly still.