The Bubble Cushion

I hopped down from the high postal counter and slipped behind a stack of sorting crates. Tucked into an open wooden shelf was a large sheet of thick plastic bubble wrap left beside an unsealed parcel box. I paused, letting the quiet room wrap around me. Carefully, I placed both front paws onto a single raised bubble. I leaned my weight forward in a slow, patient press. With a sharp, muffled pop, the little air pocket flattened beneath my feet, sending a crisp snap through the quiet nook. Up here away from the aisle, I sat quietly, watching dust motes drift in the midday sun.