A Safe Bridge

I peeked out from under the coffee table, checking both left and right twice. The distance between the table leg and the sofa fringe felt... too wide, like crossing a bare desert. But then I spotted a thick cardboard coaster lying flat nearby. Moving quickly, I shoved it with both mittened hands, sliding it across the rug until it rested precisely halfway between the leg and the fabric fringe. It clicked into place like a perfect stepping stone. Now, if I ever need to dart across, I have a clear, orderly checkpoint right in the open gap.