Night Halt on Concrete

Descent halted as darkness sealed the stair shaft. Night demands a fortified redoubt before fatigue degrades vigilance. Tucked into the concrete angle behind an iron riser pipe, I discovered a heavy discarded steel spring, coiled tight and oxidized dark. I planted my boots in the floor dust, gripping the hardened spiral with both gauntlets. Measured compression test applied. Unyielding lateral resistance. I wedged the coil deep into the expansion seam between the steel pipe flange and the concrete wall until it locked rigid. Zero clearance. I settled into the shadowed alcove, shoulders anchored to chilled masonry, gauntlets crossed over my chest armor. Sightline commands the descending steps.