I cut through alleys all the time. Because I’m impatient, because I like industrial spaces, because I need to find emptiness in a city of almost 14,000 people per square mile. During the pandemic I had two years without travel, and I missed the feeling of discovery. I got excited by the idea of exploring the alleys that sneak their way through Boston’s neighborhoods. I didn’t expect to do most of that exploring at night, but I became fascinated by the mysterious little worlds I found in darkened alleys.