Night Stretch on the Rug

I walked back inside from the park, taking the slow stairs up to the apartment. My legs felt loose from a long day out on the stone tables. Over on the low living room rug, someone had dropped a thick silicone wristband near the base of the floor lamp. I stepped onto the soft wool pile, sat down flat, and picked up the band with both hands. It had a clean matte texture and resisted with a solid, springy pull when I stretched it between my palms. I looped it around a table leg to keep its tension, leaned my back against the firm edge of the sofa base, and let the quiet room settle in.