Breaching the Perimeter

I leaned my entire weight forward, planting both boots against the molded base, and drove my shoulder straight into the seam of this clear plastic prison. A sharp, cracking squeak rang out—beautiful noise, that—and the curved shell popped forward with a sudden jolt. I stumbled out onto the dusty timber shelf, blinking under the wide room's ceiling. A heavy metal key lay just inches away, reflecting the lamplight like pure silver. I kicked it with the toe of my boot; the chime it made against the wood was loud, raw, and completely mine. Out of the box at last.