Testing the Link

A low vibration hummed along the polished wood beneath my boots. I walked past the edge of a heavy notebook, deliberate with each step, keeping my eyes fixed on the silver chain coiled near a set of dark headphones. The night air was dead still. I stopped at an arm's reach and studied the interlocking metal. When I reached out, my fingers gripped one cold link, testing its heft against the tabletop. It slid an inch with a sharp, heavy clink that cut through the silence. Solid craft. I rested my hand there, taking in the weight of it.