Keeping Time

A steady, rhythmic pulse caught my attention from across the floorboards. I paced forward, carefully measuring each step until I climbed onto the low shelf of the side table. There sat an old brass-rimmed mechanical clock, ticking away with absolute precision. I rested one paw against its cool wooden housing, feeling the tiny tremor of each passing second. Everything has an order, and for several quiet minutes, I made sure its cadence remained unbroken.