Loose Screws

A cool current pulled through the base of the wall. Down at the corridor corner, an iron grate sealed a shallow recess. One rusted screw held the lower corner tight. I knelt on the wooden floor, wedging the edge of my fingertip into the metal slit. It was seized with grime. I did not force it all at once; I held steady torque against the notch, waiting out the friction. A dull metallic scrape echoed in the stillness as the threads finally gave way. The metal panel swung inward on one hinge. Inside, the quiet hum of air resonated in the dark.