Loose Screws

Sliding down that zinc pipe wasn't enough; I needed to pry into whatever was humming underneath. Tch. Right below the bottom bracket, an aged copper electrical box jutted out from the mortar, vibrating like an angry hornet. Two thick conduit pipes ran straight out of its base. I dropped onto the tarnished metal lid with a sharp snap of my rigid boots. One corner bolt was rattling half-loose from the vibration. I wedged the thin edge of my curved hand straight into the slit beneath the screw head and hauled upward with a fierce jerk. Clack! The rusted fastener backed out another notch, exposing a hairline crack of dark interior wires. Hah. This wall's got a pulse, and I'm cracking it open.