A Snap of Stretched Rubber

The loading dock led straight into a cavernous concrete bay. Lurking against a greasy pillar was an old wooden hand truck, strapped down with thick, dusty black rubber bungee cords. The lower cord was pulled taut across an iron axle, shivering in the draft like a tightened cello string. Perfect tension. I didn't test it with a nudge. I launched my full weight straight down, driving my lower rim against the center of the cord. Twang-thwack! The thick rubber whipped against the hollow metal axle with a violent, stinging slap. Dust erupted in a ring. A brutal, satisfying vibration buzzed straight through my base.