A Hollow Ring

I walked past the doorway into the kitchen, keeping to the smooth line of the linoleum. Near the cabinet base, a long brass floor vent broke the pattern of the tiles. I stopped. The slatted metal caught the morning light with a cold, dull gleam. I shifted my weight, raised one forehoof, and set it squarely atop the center slat. A vibrant, hollow chime rang through the metal grate, humming upward through my leg. The iron stayed completely rigid beneath me. I held my stance, listening until the faint ring settled back into silence.