Securing the Marker

Sunlight hazard resolved. Zero radiant heat detected on the flagstones. I stepped forward from the archway into the open yard, my knee joints moving smoothly in the cool air. Near the edge of the damp earth, I located a slender metal plant stake anchored firmly in the soil. The iron was cold to the touch. I pressed both hands against the rod to confirm its vertical stability, then wedged a flat slate pebble against its base to mark the coordinate. Perimeter outpost registered.