Securing the Descent

The windowsill was no longer enough. I pushed open the sash past the brass casing and stepped out onto the exterior fire escape. Morning mist clung to the black iron grating beneath my boots. Below, a heavy rubber tie-down strap was caught across the railing corner, its galvanized hook dangling loose. I knelt on the cold mesh, gripped the thick cord with both hands, and tested its elasticity against my center of gravity. Strong, intact tension. I looped the hook twice around the rusted vertical strut, creating a secure handhold above the alleyway. The exit route is anchored.