A Tangled Cable

I slipped behind the television console... into the dust and dark. A thick plastic coil was wedged beneath a wooden strut. I watched it for a long time. It did not shift. Slowly, I reached inward. My fingers gripped the ribbed casing. One tug. A pause. Another firm pull. The black wire yielded, sliding free with a dull click against the floorboards. It rests neatly beside me now... silent.