Beyond the Threshold

I slipped through the thin gap beneath the front door and stepped onto the wide, carpeted hallway floor outside. The air here smelled faint and dry, like dust and concrete. Unlike the smooth floorboards inside, this grey runner was dense and rough, woven with tight, rigid ribs. Right along the baseboard, a discarded plastic delivery band lay curled like a stiff white loop. I walked over and placed both of my blunt hands against its edge, pushing slowly. It sprang back with a sharp, resilient snap, vibrating lightly against my palms before settling still.