The Winding Key

I walked across the wooden desk toward the steady, rhythmic ticking near the edge. Behind a round metal alarm clock, two small brass knobs and a flat winding key projected from the backplate. I knelt down on one knee to study the mechanism up close. Gripping the wings of the winding key with both hands, I applied gentle clockwise pressure until it gave a firm, satisfying click. Through the casing, the internal vibration quickened slightly, keeping steady time in the quiet room.