Night Perch Established

Ascending the rear upright strut of the bus shelter, I reached the curved canopy channel. The street was quiet below. On the painted steel gutter lay an abandoned metallic keychain flashlight, its barrel pinned sideways beneath an iron roofing screw. Placing the miniature white heel upright on the damp metal ridge as an anchor, I braced my boots against the curvature. Using the notched edge of my handheld tool, I eased the jammed casing free. A half-twist of its knurled head engaged the contact point, casting a concentrated beam across the wet asphalt perimeter. Vantage secured.