Connection: Chapter 3

The temperature differential nearly sent him to his death. He was instantly freezing. The wind tore through his clothes and chilled every nerve. Don't look down. Focus. With his eyes closed and gripping the hose tightly, he scraped his foot a few inches along the thin ledge. He positioned his body like a mountain climber rappelling on a cliff. The hose was ramrod straight in his hands, with a few feet hanging loose by his side. His breath crystallized in front of his face.

Clumsily, he lowered his hands and body until he was in a froglike stance. Twisting so that his side was against the building, he kicked away with his feet. For a moment he thought he had let go, but then he slammed back against the concrete with crushing force. His gloved fingers slipped down the hose and stopped just above the steel nozzle. He dangled helplessly. The hose was not long enough. He was trapped between the eighth and ninth floors. His feet touched glass, but there was no way he could manage to break it.

Above him, the flames from the wrecked door licked the hose stretched tightly across the room. The edge of the rough cloth blackened.

Robert kicked violently on the glass below him, hoping to attract attention. He had no way of knowing if the occupant was asleep or had evacuated the room. With each jerk, the hose vibrated dangerously. His hands were already numb with cold through the gloves. Snowflakes landed on his hat and coat and vanished. He figured he could hang on for about a minute longer.

In his room, a burning Black Eyed Peas poster peeled off the wall and landed on the hose.

Robert's arms ached from supporting his weight. He resumed kicking the eighth-floor window in desperation. The added strain on the hose caused a small rip in the wall fixture. Slightly further down the hose, the flames burnt a tiny expanding hole. Outside, the snow grew heavier and stung Robert's face. A gust of wind lifted his coat briefly. He paused in his exertions. He thought he felt the hose give slightly. Slowly and with fear in his heart, he looked up. He could hear the wind swirling around him and faintly, the roar of the fire above. Then with a horrible snap, he fell.