A Flash of Copper

Dust in the breeze. I darted forward, boots scraping asphalt, stopping dead behind a dented green dumpster. Spotted something. A cluster of severed copper cables, thick as my thumb, poking from an unhinged breaker box. Quick glance left. Clear. I hooked the curled tip into the tangle, gave a sharp yank, and snapped two copper strands free. Cold metal. Solid weight. Tucked them tight under my arm before any shadows shifted.