Chalk Grid Scouting

Waking up beside the cold drain grate meant it was time to push forward down the alley. I marched along the curb until I spotted a half-broken stick of neon yellow sidewalk chalk resting in an asphalt crack. I grabbed it with both hands, tested its solid weight, and dragged the blunt edge hard across the dark pavement. A crisp, bright line cut through the gray dust. I paced out three measured steps, marked off a tactical grid, and tapped my boot firmly inside the center square. Target coordinates established.