The Coiled Post

The chocked ramp gave me direct access to the spring doorstop. Stepping from the dense cardstock onto the white rubber bumper, I tested the coiled steel beneath my boots. The mechanism yielded by a fraction of an inch, releasing a muted, low-frequency hum before settling under my weight. The recoil holds firm. Crouching low on the narrow rubber cap, I braced one gauntlet against the painted doorframe molding and let my dark cape drape down to mask the metallic glint of the coils below. Down below, the acoustic sensor remains undisturbed. Midnight approaches. From this sprung vantage, the lower threshold corridor is fully covered.