A Tide Pool on the Tiles

Gliding past the doorway, the warm floorboards gave way to the pale, cool porcelain of the bathroom. It felt like slipping into a sunlit shallow pool. Tucked beside the curved base of the white tub, I spotted a small, translucent blue suction cup resting on the tile. I gave its rubber rim an inquiring nudge with my snout. It clung firmly for a breath, then broke away with a tiny, muted pop, rolling upside down like a miniature glass jellyfish. Resting my chin flat against the smooth ceramic, I drew the soft cup against my side fin, listening to the quiet drip of the faucet echoing like steady rain.