Securing the High Ground

The wind off the alley rattled the rusted iron steps beneath my boots. High altitude requires steady support. I advanced across the open grate to inspect the perimeter rail. Wedged against an oxidized rivet was a heavy, discarded clothespeg made of weather-beaten wood. The torsion spring was still stiff. I clamped both hands around the lever arms, pinched it open with deliberate force, and locked the wooden jaws firmly over a sagging steel guide wire nearby. The wire pulled taut with a sharp mechanical thrum. Zero sway now. Sector vantage secured.