A Tacky Edge

A curled strip of beige masking tape stuck out from the bottom of the hallway baseboard. I stepped forward at an unhurried pace, setting my front paw upon the loose end. Instead of the usual solid click against hardwood, the surface gripped my pad with a tacky cling. I lifted my leg. The tape peeled off the floorboards with a slow hiss, hanging suspended from my foot like a pale ribbon. I held my paw still in the air, watching the paper curl. Deliberately, I pressed my sole against the square edge of the molding and dragged it back. The adhesive caught the timber and released my foot. I planted my paw, pressing the strip flat.