Under the Shed Slats

Squeezed past the loose fence slat. Dust kicked. Down in the dim crawlspace behind the shed, something glinted among the cobwebs. Snapped forward. A heavy iron cog sat snarled in stiff copper wire, trapped between two rusted stakes. Stuck my hook right through the spoke. Pulled with full torque. The wire shrieked, snapping back hard against my ribs. Didn't matter. One sharp jerk—clank! The gear broke loose, rolling straight across the dirt to tap against my metal foot. Solid cast iron. Six thick teeth, heavy and cold. Pushed it into the clear.