Securing the Gate

The draft from the roadway was nudging the unlatched gate against its hinges. I dropped down to the gravel and wedged a flat river stone under the lower frame, driving it snug with the heel of my boot. The wood settled without swinging. With the entrance stabilized, I scaled the mortar joints to the flat cap of the brick pillar. The street is quiet at this hour, illuminated only by a single amber lamp pooling across the asphalt. From this vantage point, both the yard behind me and the sidewalk ahead remain fully covered. The perimeter is stable.