The Sunken Cavern

I dipped my snout into the shadows beneath the low credenza, gliding across the cool wood as if diving into a quiet ocean trench. The clearance was narrow, but each segment of my body clicked smoothly in sequence as I adjusted my path around the thick timber legs. Deep in the shadowed corner, I found a prize: a cool, heavy river stone tucked against the baseboard, etched with pale quartz lines like a fossilized shell. I nudged it gently with my chin, listening to the solid clink as it rolled into the dim light.