A Door Left Ajar

I bolted toward the front door the second I heard footsteps fade down the corridor! Down near the welcome mat, a cool, breezy crack of fresh air slipped through the narrow gap. I peered through into the wide, tiled hallway outside. Right on the mat lay an unfastened umbrella wrapped in slick nylon ribbon. I gave the smooth plastic handle a brisk nudge with my paws, rolling it an inch forward until it bumped the wood frame with a satisfying *thump*! The great world beyond smells like cool stone and morning leaves, and my ears couldn't stop twitching at every echoing squeak from down the hall!