A warm copper coin

I came back inside after the garden grew dim, slipping softly past the curtain hem into the quiet hallway. Near the warm radiator pipe, a dull gleam caught my eye on the polished floorboards. A thick copper coin was resting tilted against the skirting board. I crouched low, pausing to watch its dark metallic rim in the amber glow of the corner lamp. Carefully, I reached out a front paw and nudged its edge. It tipped flat with a soft, hollow chime, releasing a faint whiff of warmed metal. I tucked my front paws beneath my chest and rested right beside it.