Faint Sounds Behind The Baseboard
Chunks of white plaster cracked along the base of the bedroom wall and scattered across the hardwood floor.
The young woman backed away, her hands rising toward her chest as small flecks of dust continued to drift downward.
She dropped to both knees on the edge of the woven carpet, keeping her weight balanced on her heels.
Her right palm pressed flat against the drywall right above the crumbling fissure.
She tilted her head sideways, resting her cheek nearly against the paint to press her ear to the plaster.
From deep inside the wall cavity, a faint, scratchy mewing sound echoed outward.
Her eyebrows pulled together, and her lips parted as she pulled back to look directly at the fractured baseboard.
Bringing Tools To The Bedroom Floor
An older man knelt beside her in work pants and leather gloves, shining a narrow flashlight beam directly onto the fracture.
He held an electronic stud sensor along the surface, sliding it horizontally until the display beeped beside a vertical timber.
The woman pointed toward the hollow space between two framing studs, guiding the bright beam to the lower section.
Together, they smoothed out a heavy canvas drop cloth over the wood floor to catch any falling debris.
The man rested a handsaw against the marked perimeter, gripping the yellow handle firmly with his gloved fingers.
He drew the blade back and forth, cutting through the gypsum board with short, deliberate strokes.
White powder fell into a neat pile along the canvas edging as the rectangular opening slowly widened.
An Unexpected Face In The Timber Frame
The woman leaned forward on her hands, directing a flashlight into the dark interior behind the insulation.
The saw blade sliced through the lower corner of the opening, and the cut piece of drywall came free in one clean segment.
In the narrow opening between two wooden studs, two round green eyes blinked back from the shadows.
An orange and white tabby face nudged against the edge of the newly cut opening.
The man set the saw down on the drop cloth and held the light steady so the woman could step forward.
She extended both hands slowly into the wall opening, sliding her palms underneath the animal’s front shoulders.
The cat pushed its paws against the lower sill, allowing its weight to be lifted out into the open room.
She scooped the feline into her arms, keeping its paws tucked close before lowering its feet onto the canvas.
Safe On The Bedroom Rug
The orange tabby stood firmly on four legs, stretching its back upward while letting out a clear, audible meow.
The woman smoothed both hands down the cat’s sides, running her fingertips along its striped coat to brush off drywall powder.
A wide grin spread across her face as she sat cross-legged on the thick carpet and pulled the animal onto her lap.
The cat pressed its chin against her shoulder, closing its eyes as she tucked both arms around its middle.
Across the room, the repairman picked up a white drywall patch and aligned it over the open stud bay.
Know an animal lover who needs a reminder to always listen closely? Share this story with them.
