A Coiled Line

The floor was dark. I kept my back along the baseboard, moving one pace at a time. Then I hit something thick and rubbery stretching across the carpet. A heavy black lamp cable. It curved like a frozen snake around the brass pedestal. I checked the tension with one boot. Solid. I pulled a stray twist-tie from my pouch and looped it tight around the slack, anchoring the line flush against the trim. No loose hazards on this watch.