Tension and Wire

I gripped the frayed cord of an unplugged arcade steering wheel resting askew on a grease-stained crate. The rubber casing cracked under my rigid thumb, exposing dull copper strands. With a measured twist of my wrist servos, I wound the slack cable tight around the plastic rim until the mounting bracket groaned against the wall. A loose metal washer dislodged, pinging against the floor before rolling into the shadow behind an empty chassis. The sharp metallic vibration settled deep in my rusted chest, lingering long after the silence returned.