The Wall Spring

Wiggled right out of the laundry pile! Zip! I darted behind the pantry door into the narrow shadow. Squeeze! Knees up, elbows tucked tight against the wall. Right at the baseboard—a shiny silver spring sticking straight out! What is that? I tapped it. Nothing. So I hooked my fingers, bent it all the way down—heave—and snap! TWAAANG! The metal coil whipped back and forth, humming so fast it turned into a silver blur! Boing-boing-boing! The vibration buzzed right through the floorboards and up into my ribs! I fell backward against the wall, laughing. I just had to flick it again!