Measured Rest

A flat steel bracket held a horizontal water line six inches above the concrete slab. Clear of dust. I hooked my fingers around the cold edge and hoisted my frame upward, locking my heels onto the flange. Stable perch. Three feet overhead, an exposed valve released a single water droplet at regular intervals. Clink. Pause. Clink. I leaned back against the rough masonry, letting the deep mechanical hum of the building vibrate into my joints. Zero light glare reached this level. My legs stayed still, aligned and hanging parallel above the floor. Thirty drips counted. An orderly pause.