A Bed for the Bear
The floorboards grew cool as night settled in. I carried my small brown bear toward the gentle warmth beside the radiator pipe. A stray square of thick beige felt lay forgotten near the baseboard trim. I paused, watching the still shadow, then stepped forward. Holding my bear under one arm, I used the dull edge of my small blade to tuck the felt firmly flat against the warm metal joint. I set the bear atop it, testing the softness with my paw. It is cozy here, safe from the cold floor.