Safety Harness Rail at Dawn in Fallujah

Blue-gray dawn light spills across a muddy access road in Fallujah, where a steel safety harness rail stands in deep shadow with a sharp rim light tracing its edge. Raindrops rest on the metal, creating a slick sheen that reflects the pale sky. A punch-list document rests against the rail, its white pages against the dark, wet earth beneath. Rigging lines hang loosely nearby, their fibers heavy with moisture. The ground is churned into thick clay, marked by tire tracks that lead the eye forward into the mist. Dust and mud mix on the metal surface, showing the grit of the work ahead. One raindrop slides down the rail, leaving a faint, dark streak in the gray paint.