A hollow rattle

I nudged away from the wire basket and pushed my belly across the raw concrete toward the railing. One of the long cardboard tubes had rolled out across the landing, stopping against the metal post. With a slow push of my flippers, I bumped my nose against its open hollow end. It rolled smoothly along the cold floor with a deep, echoing rumble that vibrated through the stairwell. I slid after it until it nestled parallel to the bottom step, resting my chin directly over the sturdy cardboard curve to savor the quiet hum.