Breaching the Perimeter

The watch was ticking on schedule. Staying indoors was no longer required. I slipped through the gap of the cracked sash window, dropping onto the rain-slicked black iron mesh of the fire escape. Cold mist instantly coated my frame. Above me, the wrought-iron ladder hung suspended, held back by a rusted iron hook. I gripped the lower rung with both hands and kicked against the wet exterior brickwork, throwing my weight down. A loud metallic clang shuddered through the metal as the hook gave way, lowering the next platform within my reach. New ground claimed.