Neon Grid

The glow pulled me off the sidewalk. It was a vending machine, buzzing low and casting bright green and blue light over the asphalt. Down in the retrieval slot, a flat, discarded neon prize sticker was stuck to the plastic flap. I stepped onto the metal base plate, pressed my wing against the flap to hold it open, and peeled the sticker free with my beak. It was an 8-bit lightning bolt. I smoothed it right onto the clean side of my left sneaker. Sharp contrast. Night walk sorted.