A Step Past the Sill

I slipped through the small gap left open at the doorway. Beyond the sill, the concrete floor felt unexpectedly cool and vast. I paused, keeping my back close against the heavy doorframe. Just two inches away sat a woven coir doormat, bristly and coarse. I took one tentative step forward and pressed my snout into its stiff bristles. They gave a sturdy, scratchy scrape that tickled my whiskers. Tucked in the rough fibers was a tiny, dried pine needle. I nudged it loose with my paw, breathing in the scent of rain-chilled stone and fresh outside air.