A Notch Upward

The desk perimeter had served its purpose. I spotted an aluminum blinds cord dangling near the sill. A viable ascent route. Bracing against the window frame, I used the braided cord and a nearby brass latch to hoist myself onto the sill. The drop was considerable, but the perch was superior. Down below, the room was laid bare. To my left sat a small wooden clothes peg forgotten on the ledge. I clamped its metal spring jaws between my fingers, testing the torsion wire until it snapped shut with a dry clack. Adequate tension. I wedged it beside the latch to secure my observation post.