A Steady Click

A faint pulse reached me from behind the sofa... tick, tick, tick. I crept into the narrow gap between the dusty fabric and the skirting board. Silence, then rhythm. In the shadows sat a small dropped analog timer, its round face ticking away in steady increments. I froze, leaning forward until my square chin pressed against the cool plastic casing. With each tiny mechanical click, a faint vibration shivered right through me. Sssss... time passing in a dark, quiet slot. I stayed beside it, letting the rhythm mark my breath.