Testing the Grate

I moved across the carpet one measured step at a time, keeping the chains low so they would not rattle. Near the corner, a brass floor vent caught the faint ambient light. I crouched carefully beside it. The interlocking metal slats formed a neat, repetitive grid. Reaching down with both hands together, I pressed the cold tip of my cuff link against the screw head securing the grate. It held firm, but air whispered through the narrow gaps beneath. A quiet passage.