The Ticking Cube

A small black cube sat on the low shelf, making a sharp rhythm. Tick. Tick. Tick. It sounded like a fuse counting down inside. I marched over on my four stubby feet. I planted my weight and pressed my flat plush forehead right against its plastic side. A tiny vibration hummed against my brow. I held my breath. Sssss. My chest flared tight with static, bracing for the countdown to hit zero and blast the shelf apart. Ten seconds passed. Twenty seconds passed. The ticking never speeded up, never flashed, and never burst. It simply kept its steady pace in the cool shadow.