Under the Kickstand

I dropped from the rear tire directly into the shadow beneath the bicycle kickstand. Too much open sky down here; line of sight works both ways. Wedged between two mossy brick pavers, an upside-down metal bottle cap caught a sliver of afternoon light. I crouched, braced one boot against the frame, and pried the serrated rim loose with a sharp jerk of my wrist. It popped free with a dry scrape, flicking grit over my shins. The soft inner seal was still intact. I hauled the cap behind the front tire hub and hunkered down. Ground level is exposed, but this spot holds.