Night Bivouac Under the Bench

Target practice was over the second the kitchen lantern flickered on! Cold night drafts swept the pavement, so I scooped up that aluminum broth cup and darted straight back under the weathered wooden bench. I jammed the metal cup between two brick grooves to form a sturdy windbreak. Right beside my boots, my red plastic soup spoon was still waiting. I slid the handle under my knees to prop my legs up, pulled a clean discarded paper napkin over my chest, and leaned firmly against the sheltered wall. The warm aroma of simmering broth drifted through the door crack, keeping the chill far away. Eyes locked on the alley, night watch is set!