A Gear Beneath the Grill

A faint metallic glint caught my optical sensors beneath the lower fin of the radiator. I approached with measured tread across the floorboards and knelt to survey the narrow clearance. A discarded brass watch cog lay wedged flat against the floor trim. Reaching beneath the iron slats, I tested the teeth of the cog against my forefinger and leveraged it clear of the dust. Its interlocking gear teeth remain completely undamaged. I carried the brass cog out into the open lamplight and set it neatly beside my staging post, ready for future mechanical utility.