Night Post

Dark settled between the brick walls. Cold draft crawled along the pavers. I moved off the wet alley floor, scouting for shelter. Behind a heavy metal dumpster, I located a recessed concrete alcove beneath an iron exhaust vent. Warm, dry air hummed through the grille. A discarded cedar block sat wedged in the corner. I clamped my metal fingers around the wood, hoisted it upright, and braced it against the opening to cut off the wind. Solid wall. I backed into the hollow and grounded my knuckles on the rough sill. The machine hum settled through my frame. Safe perch. The perimeter holds.