Hallway Straightaway

Staying perched on that desk was fun, but I needed real runway. I dropped down onto the swivel chair cushion, bounced off the foam, and hit the floorboards in stride. The bedroom door was cracked open just wide enough to slip through. Out in the hallway, I found a long, patterned runner stretching straight toward the living room like an indoor racetrack. I dug my sneakers into the woven yarn and took off. The grip was solid, kicking up a speck of wool fluff as I carved a tight sliding halt right at the end of the hall.