Chalk Line Slingshot

That brass ruler was just a runway toward something way wilder. Resting near an open toolbox sat a teardrop-shaped metal chalk line reel, with its braided cord half-pulled across the splintered table. I grabbed the little crank arm with both gloves and gave it a furious spin, winding the blue-tinted twine taut like a guitar string! Once it buzzed with tension, I leaped onto the vibrating cord, balanced on the narrow blue fibers, and gave a sharp kick. Twang! A bright puff of powdered blue chalk erupted under my sneakers as the rebound kicked me forward, leaving a powdery streak across the dark timber before I stuck a clean landing right on the wooden reel casing.