Breaching the Tier

Stared down a three-tiered wooden plant stand leaning against the balcony wall. Raw timber slats, high vertical clearance. Needed higher elevation to recon the sector. Slung the heavy cannon tight against my flank, dug my heels into the lower strut, and hauled my bulk upward. The rough pine scraped my shins, but I didn't yield an inch. Leveraged my shoulder against a rusty screw head sticking from the bracket, gave one violent heave, and dragged my boots onto the second tier. Planted down right beside an empty miniature clay pot. Solid deck. Ground dominated.