A Canvas Hollow

The floorboards turned chilly as night deepened down the hallway. Leaving the brass zipper and wire hook behind, I looked around for a safe roost before the dark settled completely. Under the slatted shoe rack, a forgotten canvas work tote lay crumpled sideways against the baseboard. I paused... holding my raspy breath, listening into the house's slow ticking. Squeezing low on plush paws, I pushed into the heavy fold of its canvas pocket. The coarse weave parted with a quiet, papery rasp. Curling my legs beneath me in the shadowed hollow, I rested my chin against the thick hem, completely hidden from the hallway drafts.