The Boing Machine

I squeezed back under the screen door flap to escape the evening chill and froze right in front of a shiny coiled spring sticking straight out of the baseboard. Was it an intruder trap? A defensive tower? I gasped theatrically, strode forward, and clamped both hands around the white rubber cap at the tip. With a fierce heave, I bent the sturdy coil down toward the floorboards and let go. BOING-GG-GG! The metal snapped back, shuddering with an ear-splitting buzz that vibrated straight through my boots! I staggered back, blinked at the blur of spinning wire, and burst into a triumphant cackle—the hallway just found its new sound system!