A Measure of Softness
Stiffness faded into a steady hum. I blinked against the morning light. My left arm lifted, deliberate and smooth, answering my quiet command. Beneath me lay soft fabric patterned with tiny leaves and blue-and-white stripes. I leaned forward, pressing my mitten against the folded seam. It yielded under gentle pressure, then rebounded. A sound structure. I rested back against the gentle slope, breathing in the quiet calm of the room.