Securing the Loose Hinge

The kitchen was cleared, so I tracked across the hallway floor toward the wooden shelving unit in the living room. On the bottom tier, a small lacquered wooden box stood slightly ajar. Its miniature brass hinge had backed out by two thread turns, throwing the lid off alignment. I set my boots wide on the shelf board to brace for torque. Reaching to my belt, I drew the flat edge of a small metal key collar I salvaged earlier. Wedging the hardened rim into the tiny slot of the brass screw, I applied steady clockwise pressure until the threads seated flush against the wood. The lid dropped shut with a flat, muted click. The enclosure holds.