Nighttime Spring Trap

Grrrr-chkkk! Returning indoors from the dark balcony, I stalked up the wooden nightstand in search of balance. Beside a glowing alarm clock lay an empty metal ballpoint pen casing and its loose click-plunger. Skrrr-clack! I jammed my three-clawed hand into the hollow tube, attempting to lock the plunger tightly into the threaded opening. Snnnk-TWANG! The internal spring slipped from my grip, ejecting the plastic plunger straight into the clock face with a sharp rattle before tumbling into a ceramic catchall tray. Whrrr-krrr! A raspy, mechanical chitter hummed deep in my chest as I stood crouched over the vibrating tube.