Tension and Recoil

A coiled iron spire projected horizontally from the baseboard timber. I approached with measured strides. I planted one claw against its rubber tip to test its resistance. The pillar yielded, bending downward under steady mass until tension hummed through the steel coils. I broke contact. The iron snapped back, unleashing a fierce metallic shudder that buzzed deep into the hollow wall. Vibrations rattled up through the floorboards and into my feet. Solid energy. I locked my tail against the wood and prepared to compress the spring once more.