Make Me Perfect

Chapter 23 - Big Building, Little Paper

I let out a sigh, quietly closing the door behind me as I stepped out onto the porch. It was just past eleven, and I was supposed to be in bed right now. However, I had other plans. Lying in my bed was the worst place to think. I enjoyed the fresh air, the chills swarming my body, which is why I sat down on my front steps. I curled my knees up to my body and pulled my sweater up to my chin. I shivered in the evening breeze, letting the wind whip at my hair.

I pressed my lips together, not even thinking before I stood up and began running down the sidewalk. I didn't bother with the car, as I knew that would only notify my mother, as she was still awake. I jogged until I reached main street, where I turned left and kept going for another ten blocks. Finally, I found myself standing behind a tree, staring at the huge office building in front of me. All the lights were off, showing clearly that it was all closed up for the night. There were multiple offices and buisnesses listed along the top of the silver building, however only one caught my eye.

In big bold letters it read:

JEL PUBLISHING COMPANY

I knitted my eyebrows together as I made the assumption that there would be over a dozen security cameras lining all the doors of the building. I slid out from behind the tree and raced across the back parking lot until I found an awning. I slammed my back against the wall, looking around for security cameras. None, but that was because there were no doors anywhere remotely close to me.

I chewed my lip, knowing that I somehow needed to enter through a window. I scoffed at the thought, there were no windows until the third floor, at least none that I could climb through. I ran my hand down the brick wall, and with determination pounding in my skull I grabbed onto a brick that was jutting out ever so slightly. I lifted myself up and swung my leg up onto the bar of the awning.

I looked down, rolling my eyes, "Okay, that's five feet down. About twenty to go."

I grabbed onto the edge of the awning and hoisted my upper body onto it. With a loud grunt I pulled and strained until my knees were on the surface. I let out a deep breath, looking up to find my next route. Deciding on a sign that was two feet above me, I grasped onto the edge of it and began to climb up the side of the sign. I was thankful for all the rock climbing lessons my mother used to put me in, it was very helpful in this situation.

I stood up on the sign, with only enough room for half my foot to stay on it. I gulped, looking down. "That's a long way.." I whispered to myself as I glanced at the fifteen foot gap of air between the ground and where I stood.

I pushed the thought away and dug my toe in between the bricks as best I could. I breathed, knowing I'd have to jump upwards in order to catch the windowsill. If I missed, well, let's just say this story would come to an end very quickly.

I let out a shriek as I leaped off the brick and threw my hands into the air, desperate to connect with the ledge. The palm of my right hand grasped onto the sill, my left hand barely catching myself. I grunted, using all the strength I had to get my whole arm onto the window sill. Thank god these sills were wide.. Any smaller and I wouldn't be able to get up.

I finally got my right knee onto the ledge, and with a final pull I rolled over onto my back, completely safe from falling. I panted, my body exhausted from the adrenaline as well as the work it took to hoist my entire body up multiple times.

Once I gathered my compsure, I got on one knee and tried sliding the window upwards. I pushed, harder every second. I let out a loud growl as I realized it was locked by a bar. "Stupid," I muttered to myself. How stupid could I be? Of course the window of an office building would be locked.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to think of a way to get the window open. I fiddled with the lock, raising an eyebrow as I found a weak spot in the bar. I pushed down on it, noticing how it bended underneath my weight. I grinned, now only if I had something strong enough to bend it off...