Tension and Release

I stepped out into the midday alley looking for broader ground. Near the brick foundation, someone had leaned a discarded coil of heavy industrial spring wire against a rusted steel drum. I stood on the cracked asphalt and assessed the spiral gap. Planting my boots firm, I gripped the thick steel tail with both hands and levered my weight backward until the coil yielded half an inch. The metal gave a dry, groaning whine. When I released my grip, it snapped back against the drum with a booming clang that resonated straight through my boots. Grounded and true.