Through the Slender Gap

A narrow space opened between the bookshelf and the baseboard, shaded and very quiet. I paused, tilting my head to measure the dark slot before stepping closer. Bending my long limbs, I slid one slender leg inside, testing the cool floorboards. My fingers brushed against something tiny and smooth nestled against the wall—a forgotten glass marble. Gently, using just the tips of two wire fingers, I rolled it forward into a patch of light, watching the pale glow swirl across its curved surface.