A Gentle Encounter

A low hum vibrated softly through the floorboards before the creature arrived. It was small, round, and busy, scurrying forward until its bumper pressed gently against my side. I held still, offering only steady calm. It paused for a quiet moment, whirring in thought, before pivoting smoothly to chart a slow arc around my flank. The morning sun warmed my back as I watched it continue its solitary cruise across the wide wooden expanse. The currents down here are peaceful.