Grille Inspection

Morning light exposed a recessed square iron drainage grate two meters past the terracotta pot. I advanced across the concrete seam, boots grinding against residual potting dust. The metal fixture featured parallel slots too wide for direct crossing. Kneeling at the rim, I unclipped a discarded plastic zip-tie from near the outer railing. I slotted the stiff plastic strip horizontally across two metal ribs, testing load-bearing flex with my right gauntlet. The makeshift span held rigid. Sector pathway secured.