4. Creeping down a dark hall, heart -thumping, on a cold night was terrifying. Especially since he didn't know what was lurking in the shadows. The slightest bump or gust of wind was like a storm of fear, destroying River's insides. As he continued to walk, he noticed a common trend. The doors had numbers posted on them; room numbers. 202, 203, 204, 205....he counted. They seemed to never end. Finally, at room 215, the hall turned sharply, revealing another long passageway. Where's an elevator when you need one, River thought. After a long journey, running past countless rooms, he finally reached a door, with a sign that read "To roof." River pushed open the door, a screeching creak echoing off of it. He ran up the first flight of stairs, found that the door to the 3rd story was locked, and continued to ascend. During the run, he found that the building had 9 stories. River kicked the door leading to the roof open. He sprinted to the edge, looking down into the dark abyss below. He suddenly envied the birds, soaring gracefully in the sky. No fear of ever falling down. River spotted a ledge, about two stories below him. It might get me killed, but it's worth a shot, he thought. River crouched down, surveying the area. If he jumped too far, he'd miss the ledge and plummet down to his death. He needed footholes. He turned around, scanning for something to carve out the holes with. He then spotted a piece of metal, lodged into the ground. Pulling with all of his might, the metal came loose, sending him tumbling head-over-heels until he fell over the edge. Panic shot through River in the few seconds that had passed. His hand had found a crook in the wall. He hang on desperately, trying to think of what to do next. He then decided to lodge the piece of metal into the wall, making another hand hold. He kicked the wall, using all of his strength, creating a hole slightly smaller than his foot could rest on. He decided to try anyway. His foot barely hanging on, he dislodged the piece of metal, and struck another area of the wall with it, a foot below him. He dropped down a couple of inches, letting his hand rest on the hole he created with his foot. He then kicked two footholes, letting his feet rest in them. He had made it down one story. One more to go, River thought. Just as he was beginning to descend, the piece of metal gave way, slipping out of River's hand, eliminating his only hand hold. His heart began to beat faster and faster, as he plummeted down. He tried desperately to find a crack in the wall, but was not successful. The ledge came into view. He reached for it, but his fingers brushed past it. This is it, he thought. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- His eyes flung open. River attempted to sit up, but he found that his back was sore. How am I still alive? Surely, a drop like that would have killed me, he thought. His question was answered, as he glanced around him, finding that he was resting on a balcony. He must have not seen it, when he looked down before he started to climb. If inanimate objects could hear, he'd definitely thank the balcony. He then thought of the years in the past when his mother offered to take him to rock climbing classes. I should've said yes, River thought.