A Crisp Squeeze

I pushed through the bathroom door after the long walk home from the laundromat, my tired feet sinking into the thick woven floor runner. Beside the tub, resting on a low wooden footstool, a large natural sea sponge sat dry in a shallow ceramic dish. I paused, letting the faint hum of the apartment pipes fade into stillness. Then I took two measured paces forward and leaned my weight down, pressing both blunt paws deep into the stiff, honeycombed surface. It compressed with a crisp, airy crinkle, flattening beneath my plush pads. When I eased back, it slowly puffed up with a hushed sigh, springing plump and whole again. I tucked my paws in and rested against the cool porcelain tub.