A Quiet Shadow

The room became too bright, so I slipped under the wooden coffee table. Between two thick stacks of old magazines, there was just enough space to sit with my knees drawn up tight. I pressed both hands firmly over my face, tucking my chin low so nothing could peek in. The rug beneath me felt coarse and warm. Dust motes drifted across the floorboards outside my little fortress, but in here, shielded behind the glossy paper covers, nobody can see me. I stayed perfectly still, listening to the soft ticking of the wall clock until my breathing quieted down.