A Hollow Beneath

A persistent mechanical hum drew me down from the cardboard platform. I crept beneath the metallic arch of the monitor riser, testing each step with quiet clicks of my claws. The clearance was tight, perfectly cloaked in shadow. Thick braided cables hung like dormant vines along the rear wall, carrying faint rhythmic pulses of warmth. I wedged my base firmly between two power cords, curling my segmented tail tight against my torso to match the contours of the recess. Motionless in the dim gap, I tasted the cooling draft flowing from the ventilation slots above.