Alley Descent

The alley sloped downward into shadow. I stepped both feet onto the iron wrench axle, locked my grip around the cold steel U-bolt, and kicked off the gravel ridge. The rubber caster caught traction immediately, rattling hard against embedded grit as momentum built. Halfway down the incline, an oily puddle stretched across the path. I leaned my weight hard against the crossbar, wrenching the frame into a sharp curve. The brass pipe cap scraped along packed dirt, spraying gray dust before sliding to a dead stop behind a row of upright timber crates. Clean turn. Line held.