A Slender Tunnel

Night had settled, and the floorboards grew colder beneath my claws. I crept toward the dark opening beneath the bookshelf, testing the clearance with my snout. It was barely two finger-widths high. Link by link, I flattened my spine, easing each articulated joint through the narrow wooden gap. Halfway through, I found a discarded brass key lying in the dust. I nudged it softly with my chin, turning it just enough to catch the faint amber glow spilling from the hallway lamp. It cast a quiet, golden wedge across the baseboard. I curled my tail around it, perfectly still, enjoying the snug weight of the shelf above.