The Suspended Link

The quiet rooms inside had grown too predictable, so I pushed past the door flap and walked down to the park edge. Along the gravel border, a heavy forged iron chain hung suspended in a deep curve between two granite posts. I stepped onto the first stone pillar to study the drop. The iron was cold, beaded with morning moisture. Shifting my weight with deliberate care, I stepped down onto the first thick link. The metal swung sideways with a dull clink against the anchor ring, unsettling my footing. I lowered my center, braced my joints against the cold steel, and waited until the sway ceased completely. Balanced in the dip, I watched the path.