A Gentle Tap

My ears twitched first. A warm, gentle glow hummed behind me, lighting up the wood beneath my sneakers. I leaned forward, testing my footing, and took two quiet steps across the polished table. Right beside me stood a bright orange toy dinosaur frozen with its mouth open wide. With a playful grin, I reached out and gave its plastic claw a light tap. It didn't move at all, solid and still. I tucked my hands right back into my cozy hoodie, standing side by side with my new quiet neighbor.