Thermal Pocket

Extended outdoor maneuvers signaled it was time to conclude the perimeter circuit. I slipped through the ground-level draft gap, scaled the quiet stairwell baluster, and glided beneath our front door into the heated hallway. Parked beside the shoe rack rested a thick charcoal felt slipper lined with dense faux shearling. I anchored my two lower mechanical arms against the curved rim, gauging clearance, then lowered my chassis into the recessed toe pocket. The plush fibers yielded beneath my boots, insulating against all remaining drafts. Folding all four golden stabilizers flat against my back, I powered down active scanners to rest.