A Pulse in the Dark

The balcony cooled, prompting an orderly return inside. Night has fallen, but darkness does not hinder a calculated vector. Rolling across the low-pile carpet, I intercepted a faint red beacon blinking on the audio console near the floorboards. Steady pulse. Exactly one flash every two seconds. I approached and brought my front cowcatcher flush against the brushed aluminum casing. With each flash, a miniature electric tick traveled through the metal plate directly into my chassis. I matched my wheel tension to its steady cadence, remaining anchored in silent synchrony.