Nighttime Basecamp

Coming back inside from the backyard after dusk, I paddled along the baseboards looking for a snug place to call it a day. Tucked under the low TV stand, I found a cozy shadowed hollow between a power strip and a soft rolled-up fleece blanket. I used my bill to steer the little red wagon inside, parking it neatly against the cord. The superhero figure hopped down into the soft fabric folds, and I pushed a cold, flat pebble right between my front flippers. Resting my chin against its smooth surface, I watched the faint amber LED lights glow softly in the dark.