𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 77

Building Hope

2035

Aidan

The jump feels like it is in slow motion.

My feet fly in the empty air below.

The building comes into my view, I focus on landing on it. The building comes closer. I brace for the impact.

My feet hit the concrete of the rooftop and I roll off to prevent too much pressure on my joints from the impact. After I straighten, I dust off from the debris collected on my clothes.

I made it. I made it!

Looking up, my eyes are searching for Valencia hopefully still standing on the crane.

She slowly inches closer to the edge of the crane to stare down at me.

"Jesus Christ, you're alive," she gasps.

I nod. "Come on, you can do it."

She seems uncertain.

"What do you want me to say? I'll catch you?"

That makes her sigh exaggeratedly.

"Fine," she scoffs - her favorite phrase the entire trip so far - and also takes a run-up, way farther back than mine, but I guess she doesn't have the same experience or training I had.

Earlier than I expected her, she shows up again, running and... jumps.

My eyes follow her movement until she lands next to me. She doesn't roll off from her impact, so she grimaces when her ankles hurt from the landing.

I forgot to tell her that. But she also made it. She also made it! One more step closer.

We made it - to the rooftop of the other building. Although we could have died many times throughout, we passed the crane.

Now, my feet have solid ground under them again.

I feel a little safer, but I bet that Valencia feels like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. Deep down, I know how it feels to have a fear that strong.

I scan the area. This building seems to at least be intact when it comes to the rooftop. I walk around for a little bit to check it out, then I spot a staircase going down from the rooftop to the third floor. Waving Valencia over, I motion to it.

She eyes it suspiciously. "After seeing what happened the last time we went up a staircase, I am a little terrified of what this one has in store for us," she admits, but then sees me looking at her. "You know what? Fuck it," she blurts out, trying to sound confident.

After a deep breath, Valencia takes the first step down, waits for a second and tests the stability of the step she is standing on by jumping up and down a little.

"Come on," she says this time - not me - to encourage. I follow her, she walks out in front. The staircase is made out of concrete, identical to the ones in the other building. We reach the third floor - also consisting of the same plain and pale concrete walls.

Originally, I was thinking that we would quickly go down in this building, but Valencia suddenly stands there, indecisive, in the middle of the room.

"Is everything okay?" I ask although I know that nothing is okay and for now it also won't be. Valencia stares outside of one of the hollow window frames, lost in thoughts. When she hears me ask, though, she quickly looks at me, like I tore her out of her mind. "I always think it is kind of crazy to see the Bronx so overgrown after nine years," she mumbles to herself, but loud enough for me to hear.