Taming the Alarm

Caught a steady metallic tick coming from the dresser corner. It was a beefy twin-bell alarm clock, bells polished like chrome mirrors. Naturally, I couldn't just leave that gadget alone. I slipped behind the casing, grabbed the brass winding key with both gloves, and gave it a solid crank. The spring inside snapped tight with a heavy click, and instantly that center hammer went wild, buzzing against the bells like a runaway jackhammer. The whole clock rattled across the smooth wood, vibrating straight through my sneakers. Had to lean forward and clamp both hands down on the domes to shut it up before it rattled clean off the edge.