The Heavy Latch

Night hushed the long corridor, so I kept sliding along the baseboard until the carpet met cool concrete. Tucked right behind the heavy fire door stood an upright metal floor doorstop, its rubber tip wedged firmly. High up along the door edge, a heavy steel panic latch gleamed in the dim overhead bulb. Rather than trying to push past the cold metal, I crept behind the wide hinge jamb. A small discarded brass luggage tag lay caught in the draft, its tiny wire cable loop unscrewed just a fraction. I steadied my small padded hands against the cold frame, slowly twisting the knurled brass barrel until the threads locked tight with a muted scrape. Safe in the concrete nook, I settled down to watch the stairwell light.