Descent by Wire

Sliding down that taut grounding wire tore at my plastic palms, but I didn't ease up. Tch. Two feet down, the braided line terminated right above a heavy die-cast floodlight bolted into the masonry. I let go, dropping straight onto the ribbed aluminum casing with a sharp clank of my boots. The metal hood radiated a dull, humming heat, cutting a stark cone of light into the dark alley below. Right beside my foot, a rusted wing nut locked the pivot arm in place. I threw my weight against the metal wing, grinding it a quarter-turn until the housing tilted downward. Hah. My spotlight now.