Spring Tension

I marched straight toward the bright yellow tape measure resting on the wooden desk. A curious contraption. I set my boots wide, grabbed the metal tab with both hands, and pulled. Crisp ratchets clicked in succession as the steel ribbon stretched out across the desk. Solid tension. Then my knuckle bumped the lock slider. Snick! The ribbon whipped backward into its casing with a startling snap, sliding the casing three inches forward and nudging my knee. I didn't flinch. I kept my balance, inspected the spring housing, and gave the casing a nod of approval. Formidable mechanism.