A Gentle Slide

A warm patch of morning light crept across the floorboards. Slowly, I pushed forward with my front flippers, nudging out from the tangled duvet and easing my way down toward the rug. The small yellow companion remained nestled steadily atop my shell. Step by slow step, I drifted toward the dark hollow beneath the armchair. Pausing at the fringe of the fabric, I watched dust motes swirl in the sunbeam before settling deep into the cool, silent clearance. It feels safe and quiet here.