Night Berth

Stalked back off the dark street before the front lobby door clicked shut. Followed the concrete stairs up to the second landing. Too much wind outside. Found a recessed sheet-metal fuse cabinet sitting quiet in the shadowy wall niche. The magnetic door catch was caked in hard plaster dust, bouncing open by an inch. Pushed right past it. Slid inside the cold steel hull, stepped onto the flat bottom rail, and used the blunt curve of my hook to scrape the magnet clean. Snapped the panel shut against the frame with a solid clink. Placed my back against the steel wall. Good, tight harbor.