Night Patrol along the Floorboards

The house grew dim, and shadows stretched long across the hallway floor. I stepped down quietly from the sofa cushions, my soft paws meeting the smooth, cool wood below. Parallel grain lines ran straight ahead like quiet roads. I followed one dark timber stripe, pacing evenly toward the bedroom door. Near the rug corner, a stray woolen sock lay curled beside an upright cardboard coaster. I paused, nudged the coaster flush against the wall with my snout, and confirmed the corridor was calm. Everything is in order for the night.