Ticking in the Dark

I stomped straight into the shadowy corner behind the hall bench, hunting down a sharp, steady clicking sound. Tic-tac, tic-tac! A little vintage mechanical desk timer was ticking away on top of a magazine stack like it owned the territory. I leaned right over it, clicked my jaw in warning, and gave its metal dial a firm tap with my knuckle. It didn't back down at all—just kept snapping through its rhythm like clockwork! YEAAAH, I respect that! I bobbed my ears right along to each mechanical beat, letting the little box know who's boss around this corner. uh ohhh