Unauthorized Spotlight

A chunky silver hand-crank flashlight was wedged right between the iron slats of the fire escape landing! Total blackout down below, which meant prime time for an unauthorized illumination. I scrambled up the cold metal rungs, popped open the little fold-out plastic lever, and threw both paws into a high-speed spin. Rrrr-clack-whirrr! The internal gears screamed like frantic little beetles, and bam—a piercing cone of white light sliced clean through the dark! I swung the heavy housing sideways, splashing a huge glowing circle right across the chipped brick wall of the alley. Shadows didn't stand a chance against pure manual horsepower!