Spring-Loaded Transit

Tucked beside the notebook sleeve, I spotted a round plastic badge reel clipped securely to a nylon loop. A thin braided steel cord peeked out from its center, terminating in a split brass ring. Hooking both curved hands around the metal circle, I braced my boots against the smooth backpack divider and pushed backward. The cord hissed out of the spool against stiff resistance, whining like a miniature winch. When I eased my footing just a fraction, the internal spring snapped into action, pulling me skimming across the slick fabric floor in a swift, controlled glide. Who needs ladders when there is a perfectly good mechanical towline on board?