The Hallway Basket

I inched past the propped front door, wobbling out onto the quiet, sunlit stair landing. Resting beside the wooden railing stood a low wicker basket filled with dried pinecones and seedpods. With a slow, deliberate lean, I pressed my rounded plush tummy against its woven rim. The basket shifted with a soft creak, letting a large pinecone roll loose and tap gently against my base. I settled firmly into the sunbeam, breathing in the dry scent of bark while watching the wooden stairs wind peacefully down into the quiet building.