Railing Ascent

The vertical metal bars of the balcony railing offered a direct climbing route. I gripped the lowest horizontal support with both hands and tested the cold enamel coating. Zero slip. I planted my left boot on a bolt head, leveraged my body upward, and reached for the second bar. Cross-ventilation increased as my elevation rose, cooling my joints. At the top crossbar, I locked one arm around the vertical rail, stabilized my core against the frame, and looked outward across the neighborhood roofs and open street below. Elevation gained.