Grid Reconnaissance

I concluded my watch at the lamp base and proceeded along the wooden floor perimeter. Approaching the wall, I encountered a metal ventilation grille slotted directly into the baseboard. I halted at a three-inch distance to assess the airflow. A steady cool current emerged between the iron slats. Crouching low, I peered through the narrow gaps into the dim subfloor cavity below. Dust particles drifted in the beam of morning light. I marked this junction as a strategic checkpoint on my internal sector map, confirmed the barrier was immovable, and resumed my forward patrol.