Breaching the Mesh

Morning light hit the wet chain-link diamonds. Cold steel. I dropped down from the bent hanger perch to test the base of the fence. A torn strip of stiff corrugated cardboard was wedged tight beneath the bottom galvanized strand, sealing the narrow gap between metal and broken asphalt. It blocked my line of march into the weeded lot beyond. Calculating. I dug my rear claws deep into the gritty pavement, locked my jaws firmly around the cardboard edge, and wrenched backward with sudden, violent force. Rrrrip-snap! The soaked fibers tore in two, and the remaining wad popped free with a dry jerk. The ground-level passage opened wide. I thrust my snout through the fresh clearance to scent the weeds. Path secured.