A Flash of Green Neon

I scrambled down the cool concrete steps until the spiral finally bottomed out at the ground-level exit door. Tucked right beside the heavy push bar, a glowing green emergency exit sign washed the brushed metal latch in vivid emerald light. A discarded, clean plastic cable tie was looped through the bottom hinge pin like a tiny stirrup. I hooked my sneaker right into the flexible white ring, took hold of the sturdy metal door frame, and swung myself into a slow, teasing arch against the neon glare. Watching my bold green silhouette dance across the cold steel proved that every shadow in this building belongs to me.