Into the Shoe

I peeked over the thick rubber toe of a sneaker resting on the entryway mat. The dangling laces looked just like climbing ropes, so I clamped my beak around one and tugged with all my weight. The shoe's tongue flopped forward, revealing a dark, cushioned cave. Balancing carefully on my orange feet, I leaned over to peer inside, but my plump tummy tipped the scales and I tumbled right down, landing upright on the soft insole. It fit around me like a snug padded nest. A neat little speech bubble floated up above my head with a cozy campfire drawn inside.