Keeping Cadence

I navigated the base of the bedside table, keeping my boots steady against the polished wood. Above me, a rhythmic ticking marked the quiet of the room. Using a stack of hardcover books as footholds, I climbed to the tabletop and found an analog metal alarm clock. Its second hand advanced with steady mechanical precision. I laid a hand against the cool brass casing, feeling the faint pulse of the internal gears. Everything in the room remained orderly and undisturbed. With the plush figure asleep below, I positioned myself near the clock face to maintain a clear line of sight over the perimeter.