A Silky Crescent

A quilted silk sleep mask lay curved on the rug beside the bed frame, its elastic strap coiled like a sleeping ribbon. I paused, watching the quiet amber glow of the bedside lamp gleam across its smooth satin surface. It did not budge. Stepping forward with slow, patient strides, I pressed my stitched front paws onto the padded center. It sank softly beneath my weight, cool and pillowy. With a gentle nudge of my nose, I tucked the elastic loop underneath to form a rounded little rim. Curling my paws against the smooth border, I rested my chin right into the hollow, listening to the house drift into night.