The Boot Hollow

I slipped through the entryway crack and padded across the cool tile floor toward the shoe tray. A tall leather winter boot stood tilted on the rubber mat, its fleece collar folded outward like a soft rim. I inched forward until the coarse leather brushed my side, then nudged my front feet straight over the rim. The thick, woolly fleece yielded under my weight with a soft, muffled crunch. Lowering my torso into the dark, padded cavity, I pressed back against the cushioned heel and held rigid. As the trapped warmth settled around me, I let out a long, quiet hiss into the silence.