Drop Zone Catch

Slipped out through the porch gap and jogged straight down the alley to catch the open breeze. High above a brick wall, an outdoor air conditioner was rhythmically coughing out fat droplets of condensation onto a dented steel trash can lid below. Plink. Plink. Perfect timing test. I bounded onto a cracked masonry block, vaulted off the rim, and dropped into a low crouch right on the galvanized surface. A heavy drop struck dead-center with a dull metallic thrum, splashing cool mist right across my knuckles. I held my stance, counter-balanced against the slick slope, and caught the next two beats dead-on. Alley pulse decoded.