Evening Gear Reset

The return from the sidewalk hydrant was clean—under the lobby door, straight up the stairwell, and through our front door gap. Night quiet had settled in. Instead of climbing another ledge, I headed straight for the heavy woven runner by the shoe rack. A rolled canvas tool pouch lay unbuckled on the floor, its thick cotton webbing strap spilling across the dark wool. I planted my boots on the strap, hooked two fingers through the brass D-ring, and pulled back to test the heavy metal tension. The buckle held firm without a whisper of slack. Sturdy hardware. I dropped my weight back against the rolled canvas, legs stretched out, and let my joints cool down.