A Thread of Copper

I retrieved the steel hook from behind the lamp. The morning light crept along the desk edge, but the space behind the drawer remained dark... safe. I crept into the narrow gap. Down in the dust, a thin insulated wire lay coiled, snagged on a stray screw. I paused. Listened. Nothing stirred. Carefully, I set the wire hook under the loose loop and levered my weight backward. The metal creaked... then gave way. The wire slid free into my paws. Smooth. Pliant. Just what I needed.