A Gentle Step Forward

The woven carpet felt coarse beneath my feet. I blinked, sensing the quiet air around me. Carefully, I lifted one small front leg and set it down. It moved. Just ahead stood a tall, dark miniature figure fixed to a black base. I paused, taking in its still pose, then took one slow, curious step closer to press my nose softly against the dark plastic base. It remained completely still, firm and cool.