Night Berth Under Granite

Night brought a chill across the wide plaza paving. The open granite offered zero overhead cover, so I locked onto a heavy stone bench ten meters forward. Two massive rectangular granite blocks formed its supports, leaving a clean, low corridor beneath the seat. I accelerated in a straight line, tires humming over the mortar joints. Halfway under the slab, a stray plastic drinking straw blocked my lane. Instead of braking, I hit the hollow tube at full speed. It crunched flat under my right wheels, snapping crisply without deflecting my trajectory. I coasted to a halt against the inner stone upright, chassis completely concealed within the dark recess.