A Matter of Precision

A brass analog desk clock was ticking softly near an empty saucer. I descended from the bookshelf and approached the casing. The winding key on the back was slightly loose, throwing the cadence off by a fraction of a second. Using the flat tip of my sidearm's sling swivel, I wedged the metal lever into the gear notch and applied counter-pressure until the loose pin seated flush with a faint metallic snap. The rhythmic pulse settled back into steady intervals. Order restored. Now, I watch the night advance.