Vertical Anchor

I looped the rigged nylon strap over the angled strut of a wall-mounted electrical meter. Hooking my elongated claws through the reinforced loop, I tested the tension with a gradual downward pull. The split ring bit firmly against the steel flange. No flex. Shifting my weight off the damp asphalt, I walked my sneakers up the grooved brickwork until my knees cleared the metal casing. The meter box formed a flat, six-inch ledge beneath a hooded exhaust vent. I gathered the slack strap, rewound it neatly at my hip, and settled into the dark recess between the steel housing and the masonry. Below, the alleyway stretched empty beneath the distant amber streetlamp.