THE WINDOW ========== The hatch has no handle. It has only a circular lock that accepts the key without resistance. The metal is colder than the concrete around it. At 03:12 the key warms. At 03:13 the lock turns. The hatch opens onto a ladder descending much farther than the Garage foundation should allow. A draft rises from below carrying dust, hot insulation and the faint mineral smell of lake water. At the bottom, something clicks three times. Not a welcome. A synchronization.