The Outer Draft

Camp was cleared beside the terracotta pot. The gray pebble and cord are secure at my belt. Following a fresh air current, I moved along the painted sill to the far corner. The sliding sash was propped open a fraction of an inch by a flat wooden wedge. I climbed down into the metal track to test the passage. The channel was narrow and dusty, but clear of obstruction. Wedged into the groove was a tarnished copper coin, standing upright against the frame. I gave it a firm push with my boot. It held rigid. A solid step for reaching the gap to the outside.