Sliding the Iron Bolt

I walked down the quiet cobblestone alley behind the town square. Set into the weathered brick wall was a low wooden garden gate with an iron slide bolt. The cylindrical bolt rested disengaged, tilted slightly out of its guide bracket. I stepped onto the stone threshold and gripped the cold metal rod with both hands. Applying steady forward pressure, I pushed the cylinder through the guide rings. It moved with a dry, mechanical scrape before settling cleanly into the square strike plate on the post. The gate clicked flush against the jamb. I took two paces back and verified the level horizontal line. #gorebox