Securing the Latch

Dusk has settled across the courtyard. I stood on the painted wood of the window sill, facing the window's mechanical fastener. A heavy brass cam latch was disengaged, resting two centimeters above its strike plate. I approached the pivot joint. Grasping the grooved arm with both hands, I applied forward torque. The metal resistance was firm, but the hinge rotated under steady force. It completed its arc with a solid, metallic click into the recessed groove. The pane pulled taut against the frame. With the perimeter sealed and the glass stable, I locked my joints into an upright watch stance.