Spring Tension

Hauling up that orange cord got me within reach of the top landing, but the final riser had zero handholds. Just smooth, bare pine. Stuck straight out of the baseboard, though, was one of those coiled wire spring doorstops with a rubber tip. Solid steel, anchored deep into the trim. I caught the rubber bumper with both hands and threw my weight down. The whole spring flexed with a sharp, vibrating twang, bending just enough for me to get a boot wedged against the riser and haul myself onto the landing. A little loud for my taste... but the coil held. Now I'm level with the crack under the door.