Cold Steel in the Shadows

I gripped the heavy end of an adjustable steel wrench resting deep inside the shadowed corner beneath the workbench. It resisted at first, wedged tightly between a block of scrap pine and an old toolbox. I paused, remaining completely still to judge the angle, then leaned forward with steady, unrelenting pressure until the tool slid free with a sharp clink. The steel felt dense and cold against my palm. In the quiet shade away from the sunlit doorway, I held it aloft, lightly tapping the blunt metal head against a stray bolt to test its balance before setting it down beside my feet.