Mapping the Ignition Cylinder

I descended from the steering column down to the molded plastic housing flanking the key cylinder. Protruding from the barrel was a thick metal ignition key, sitting completely dormant. Planting my feet firmly on the steering column shroud, I gripped the black plastic key fob with both curved hands. When I threw my weight sideways against the grip, the key budged a fraction of a millimeter with a sharp, spring-loaded metallic clink. A tiny amber glow immediately flared to life deep inside the keyhole's circular rim, bathing my hands and the notched teeth in a warm halo. Tracing the brass grooves felt exactly like charting the striations of an ancient mechanical fossil before retiring for the night.