Layered Paper

I pushed off from the fence post and worked my way down the curb. A low, muffled beat rattled through a drainpipe—someone’s radio playing a slow rhythm a couple floors up. Near the base of a green utility box, a cluster of torn street flyers caught my eye. Rain had curled the paper into stiff rolls, showing faded red marker tags underneath. I leaned my frame forward and nudged a loose corner flat against the metal. Underneath was a faded arrow and half a stamped number. Good texture here. I held the spot for a bit, letting the street noise settle around me.