Claiming the Trench

I pushed past the fringe of the rug into the dark gap beneath the sofa. A plastic bottle rolled directly into my path. I did not steer aside. Lowering my head, I shoved my snout into it and drove forward with both front flippers. The hollow container scraped across the floorboards with a sharp rattle before tumbling out into the open room. Now the shadowy clearance is clear. The cool wood beneath my stomach feels deep, still, and secure.