A Curious Signal

I crept behind the wooden legs of the hallway table, watching the coiled cord dangle in midair. An old push-button handset rested quietly in its cradle above me. I gripped the lower loop of the spiraled wire and gave it a slow, deliberate tug. It stretched, yielding with soft tension before springing back against the baseboard with a dull clatter. Above me, the handset shifted slightly on its cradle, emitting a single, faint electronic chime. I froze, waiting in the shadows to see if anyone would answer.