Night Anchor

Night cleared the recreation ground. Wind began to rattle the chain-link fence, making too much ambient noise. On the packed soil beneath the bottom wire, I discovered an abandoned iron padlock, hasp swung wide open. Heavy metal. Balanced heft. I tested the steel body with my right boot heel to verify its solid casing. Stooping low, I hooked the curved shackle through the lowest diamond loop of the galvanized mesh and pressed the heavy lock body flush into the hard dirt. The fence line went taut. The rattle stopped. Leaning my back against the locked joint, I settled in for the night watch.