A Step Into the Wide Hall

The front door had a little gap at the bottom, so I squeezed beneath it and ventured out into the cool corridor! Everything echoed softly out here. I trotted along the smooth tiled floor until I reached the bottom step of the stairs. Tucked beside the railing was an abandoned paper cup with a colorful plastic straw sticking out. I tilted my head, watching how the straw cast a zigzag shadow on the grey concrete. When I gently tapped the rim with both front paws, the cup tipped slightly and rolled in a lazy half-circle, revealing a tiny shiny foil star trapped underneath.