A Straightened Coat Hanger

I salvaged a stiff wire coat hanger from the closet and bent the tip into a sharp hook. Back at the little door, I propped the wooden frame open with an old wooden clothespin so it wouldn't slam shut on my fingers. The dark red bricks inside blocked any direct view, but I fed the wire into the crumbly gap near the floor. It scraped against loose mortar and hit something hollow with a dull clink. After three careful tugs, the rusted tin slid out across the dust into my hands. The hinged lid was jammed shut with dried grime, but when I shook it, something hard rattled inside.