Nighttime Strobe

Slipped inside from the garden fence as the house settled into quiet and caught sight of a chrome bicycle dynamo light resting on a felt tray by the stereo. Its serrated knurled drive wheel was propped clean off the cloth, hooked straight to a tiny halogen bulb casing. Looked like a pint-sized generator begging for ignition. I bounded off a thick leather coaster, gripped the metal bracket, and raked my shoe sole hard across that ribbed cylinder. Whir-r-r-click! The internal magnet kicked into high gear, throwing a brisk, rhythmic buzz into my palm as a sharp beam of white light flashed across the wallpaper like a miniature searchlight. Stuck the landing on the wood, dusted my gloves, and watched the dynamo spin out its glow.