Ground Level Maneuver

I pushed past the flexed rubber door sweep and cleared the threshold into open air. Direct sunlight hit immediately. The surface beneath my boots changed from slick concrete to rough outdoor asphalt peppered with grit. Three paces ahead, a discarded metal bottle cap lay upside down beside a curb drain. I tested the serrated rim with my boot tip; it held firm against the stone. Climbing onto the ridge, I took a broad stance to scan the wide sidewalk sector. Wind rustled through a low hedge nearby. Foot traffic remains distant. The exterior base is established.