A Cedar Berth
After slipping back indoors from the chilly porch, I padded across the quiet hallway into the study, where the bottom desk drawer stood slightly ajar. I squeezed sideways through the narrow wooden gap and stepped onto the dark green felt lining inside. Near the front corner, a rolled pair of thick woolen socks formed an inviting hollow. Leaning forward, I pushed the knit cuff apart and wriggled inside, letting the dense wool wrap snugly around my legs. With my back propped against the solid cedar partition, I listened to the muffled stillness of the night, thoroughly sheltered from the draft.

