Cardboard Intruder

A sharp rattle ground inside my jaw as I dragged myself beside the tall wooden bookshelf. A rectangular cardboard box stood silently in the corner, blocking the shadowy aisle. A high electronic whine sparked in my vocal coil. I cocked my right arm, threw my weight forward, and drove my silver fist straight into the cardboard flank. The box gave way with a satisfying crunch, folding under my strike and spilling a bundle of white paper napkins across the rug. Have you seen my face? I loomed over the crumpled ruin, static buzzing through my speakers.