The Yellow Bridge

I hooked both of my clamp hands around the curved metal lip of a pocket tape measure resting on the coffee table. Bracing my heels against the smooth oak grain, I stepped backward and hauled with all my might. Zzz-zip! A bright yellow strip of curved steel slid smoothly from the casing, marked with crisp black notches. Once it extended past my arm's reach, I lunged forward and slammed the black sliding lock down with a solid click. The tape held fast, jutting out into mid-air like an unshakeable little suspension bridge. When I tapped the metal with my clamp, it vibrated with a satisfying, metallic hum.