The Ticking Summit

I trotted back inside and leaped straight onto the kitchen counter, where a round stainless steel timer was resting on a thick wooden cutting board. It looked just like a mini training dome! I grabbed the notched dial with both hands, planted my boots firmly on the rim, and gave it a sharp, full-body twist. Clack-clack-clack! The dial turned, and the whole metal shell immediately began to hum with a rapid, mechanical ticking! I scrambled right onto the curved top, dropping into a deep, wide crouch to keep my footing. The steady vibrations buzzed straight through my boots like a tiny engine. Ha, talk about a rhythmic balance challenge!