Tension Wire

Dropped from the fire escape ladder straight onto the rubber lip of the dumpster. Zero noise. The stray cat was long gone. Slipped into the dry alcove between the rusted bin and the brickwork. Somebody dumped a split carton of stage gear out back. Inside, buried under crushed foam, I found a loose steel guitar string with a brass ring locked on the tail. Heavy gauge. Pulled it taut between my claws and gave it a pluck. The snap echoed off the bricks in a sharp, metallic pulse. Good tension. Coiled it tight and looped it over my shoulder. Never hurts to keep a length of wire.