Acoustic Recoil

Behind the open door sat a coiled metal cylinder anchored into the baseboard. Low profile. White rubber tip. I approached with measured strides. Paused. Clearance was narrow between the wood trim and the door leaf. I leaned my weight forward, resting my visor directly against the rubber end. Firm resistance. I shifted my center of gravity, bending the steel coil downward until tension peaked, then pushed off. The spring snapped upright. A sharp, resonant twang rippled across the floorboards. High frequency. I stepped in again and let the vibrating tip shudder against my plush midsection until it settled. Clean mechanical response.