Chapter 22: Part 1

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After strolling through the streets of Politum for about ten minutes, I took sight of the Empire State building. The grandness and sense of supremacy that emanated from the building convinced me to make it my stop. Why it also persuaded me was because it was the foundation of the city's tallest peak, making it the perfect place to attain a view on things. The problem was climbing up there but with any problem came a solution, mine happened to be a trashcan lid.

However, before I would begin floating like an extraterrestrial ship out in the open public, I decided to climb up onto a shorter building adjacent to the Empire State Building. This was because the perimeter of the skyscraper was too populated, making it too easy for me to be caught. How I would mount the significantly smaller building did not involve too much trouble, since there were climbable beams and supports attached to the nearby construction site.

Instead of making myself look too suspicious, I followed the opposite route by turning my jacket inside in, which meant back to normal, due to the fact that its fluorescence made me look as conspicuous as possible. This therefore eliminated the assumption of nearby citizens that I was a criminal or acting mistrustfully, for no robber nor burglar would be dressed in the most visible jacket at night, and I had even borne similarities to a construction worker. After a check of my surroundings, I started climbing with the trashcan lid between my back and my pack, carrying a subtle, yet unmissable, unpleasant smell along to the top.

It did not take long for me to reach the roof of the building, and when I did, my plan initiated. I turned my jacket inside out again with haste, for I did not want to be caught up there, then pulled off the handle from the lid without effort, before placing the circular object onto the ground.

To test its structural integrity, I jumped onto the lid, making two small dents without breaking it. Once I was reassured by the strength of the lid, I began lifting myself upwards, or I tried to at least. Having ascended no more than a feet, I immediately lost my sense of balance and fell back onto the hard ground. So I tried a new tactic, which still involved the stinking garbage lid. As I placed the object back onto the floor, I lay on top of it, with one half of the lid for my chest, and the other half for my abdomen, giving me essential steadiness.

Being as graceful as a dancing hobo, I ridiculously floated up gradually towards the top. To make sure I was not spotted, I naturally camouflaged with the glass; however, this did not stop people inside the building from seeing me. Though, I doubted it was something to worry about for I would have only been in their view for a couple of seconds.

Thankfully, my fluorescent jacket had not given away my position too much, since most of the fabric was hidden anyway. Although I might have looked like a pigeon with one wing, the lid surprisingly finished the job, for I sooner or later arose to the top and made a safe and smooth landing. My body was rested upon a platform that had railings, allowing myself to take in the scenic experience without falling, which made the daft trip more than worth the struggle.

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