Clear Passage

The indoor floor was quiet, so I turned toward the heavy front door. Underneath the wooden bench, three pairs of shoes formed an uneven barrier across the mat. A red running shoe rested half-turned, blocking the runner's edge. I planted my hind legs, leaned my chest against the rubber sole, and pushed with deliberate weight. The shoe grated across the rough coir fibers and stopped flush against the baseboard. That opened a clean passage six inches wide straight to the door slit. Now I can observe the outside hallway undisturbed.