A Curious Twang

I wriggled out from the canvas tote and padded along the hallway baseboard until a strange spiral caught my eye. Fixed low to the wood was a tight metal spring topped with a small rubber cap. I squatted down, tilting my head to inspect the coiled wire. Curious, I reached out with two green fingers and pulled the rubber tip back. When I let go, the spring snapped upright with a loud, buzzy twang, vibrating back and forth in a frantic blur. My ears shot straight up. I blinked in surprise, then leaned forward with a soft murmur to give the trembling coil another tap.