A Cloud on the Floor

A faint, rhythmic bubbling guided me past the edge of the rug onto the cool wood floor. A cylindrical diffuser rested near the baseboard, quietly whispering a steady hum. From its spout, a ribbon of pale, cool vapor tumbled downward, curling in slow eddies before settling into a flat pool across the floorboards. I slid forward, hesitating for a breath, then let my front tentacles rest directly inside the drifting mist. The air felt wonderfully chilled and soft against my fabric. I settled down and watched the quiet fog spread around me.