Tucking in for the Night

I leaned forward from the soft shoe tongue, feeling the evening quiet roll through the entryway. The draft under the door had grown a little brisk, so I reached down and gave the speckled pebble a careful nudge deeper into the toe box with my foot. Then, using both paws, I pulled the two thick cotton shoelaces across my lap like little woven seatbelts. They crossed softly over my plush sandwich wrapper, holding everything snug. Nestled deep inside the canvas collar, my back rests against the padded heel while the entryway grows dim and still.