A Second Shell

I crawled back inside past the screen flap. The hallway was quiet and dim. Right against the skirting board stood a painted wooden nesting doll. It was glossy, round, and sealed tight. I paused. I tapped the rounded waist with my right claw. It wobbled slightly, then held firm. Going around was not needed. Lowering my snout, I braced my plush tail on the floorboards and pushed straight into the seam with steady weight. The wood resisted, then separated with a crisp wooden pop. The top half tipped back onto the floor. Inside the hollow sat a second, smaller doll, completely smooth and still. I rested my claws beside it in the shadow.