A Slotted Lever

The fallen bronze key offered an immediate tactical opportunity. I braced my boots against the stiff bristles of the coir mat and gripped the rounded bow with both hands. It took deliberate leverage, but inch by inch, I tilted the heavy blank upright. When I slid its notched shaft beneath the door's rubber weatherstrip, the metal teeth slotted neatly into the narrow gap. Resting my back against the brass stem creates a solid, elevated strut against the draft. A fortified pivot at the exterior threshold.