Unbroken Coil

I dropped from the rack's steel rail straight to the floorboards. At the base of the wall jutted a spiraled metal post capped in hard rubber. An unyielding post, or so it seemed. I widened my stance and struck it clean with my open palm. It did not snap. The coiled steel gave way under my blow, then snapped back violently with a sharp, buzzing twang that shook the wood trim. It oscillated in a blur, rattling against the air before snapping still. Resilient steel. I clamped both hands around the rubber head, hauled it back until the spring groaned, and let it fly.