The Coiled Spring

Behind the heavy interior door, a coiled steel spring projected straight out from the baseboard, capped with a grey rubber tip. I knelt on the hardwood floor and hooked my fingers around the collar just beneath the cap. It took firm, steady leverage to bend the coil downward against its tension. When the angle reached the grain of the floorboards, I pulled my hands back cleanly. The steel whipped upward in a rapid blur, vibrating with a low, resonant thrum. I placed one palm flat against the trembling coils. The hum buzzed sharp through my hand, gradually softening until the spring stood upright and still once more.