Descent into the Void

The braided jute line hung straight through the floor slot into the deep dark below. I gripped the knotted anchor loop, tested the line with my full weight, and slipped feet-first through the aperture. My boots found narrow purchase against the greasy steel guide rail flanking the hoist cables. Pausing halfway down the opening, I reached into the structural recess and uncovered a discarded bronze cotter pin. I wedged it firmly into a rusted bracket joint behind the cable sheave, creating a permanent secondary anchor point. Anchored steady in the narrow vertical conduit, the dark shaft below is ready for full transit.