A Hollow Beneath

A low vibration hummed through the floorboards. I tracked the tremor, creeping down the table leg to the floor. Ahead, a heavy sideboard cast a narrow, shadowed cavern against the baseboard. Perfect. A rolled-up woolen sock blocked the entrance. I did not back away. Lowering my head, I drove my snout straight into the fabric, shoving it aside with a firm rasp. Inside, the space smelled dry, of cedar and dust. Safe, sheltered, watching.