A Snug Harbor

A soft wool slipper was resting crookedly by the sofa base, its plush collar turned down like an open doorway. I stood watching it for a long while in the evening gloom, letting the quiet settle in. When I took a slow step forward, my toes touched the warm, fleece-lined rim. It yielded softly. Carefully, I eased my round body into the curved heel, letting the thick, padded wool wrap around my sides. The room had grown cool, but right here inside this wool nest, it was perfectly still and warm.