Drop down to the marquee

Staring at the crossbeam holding up the plexiglass, Jen felt that she could land on it. The six foot drop from the ladder was pretty daunting. A sprained ankle, or worse yet fracturing one, would slow her down considerably. Two three foot drops wasn’t risk free, but safer than the alternative.

Turning around, Jen backed over the side of the building and started to lower herself. Looking down she placed one foot behind the other and then let go. The fall resulted in a loud “clunk” sound as both of Jen’s bare feet struck the plexiglass steel girder, but the structure held. No wavering, no sounds of steel creaking. The impact skewed Jen balance and she ducked down, lightly placing her hands on the plexiglass to avoid falling over. The plexiglass seemed fairly strong, now that she could press on it. There was some slight give further away from the steel beam. She wasn’t certain it would hold her weight if she’d landed on it, but if she spread her weight out then that should be no issue.

She heard a car starting up and turned around. A pair of headlights turned on, a car ahead and to Jen’s left. She laid down across the plexiglass, feeling it was dark enough that someone shouldn’t have been able to see her, certainly not very well. The car pulled out of its parking spot and began to drive down the aisle, towards the mall.

Please tell me someone didn’t just see me, Jen thought. A naked woman prowling around on top of a mall is a definite reason for someone to call the cops.

But as the car passed under a streetlamp Jen recognized it was Eve. Her heart rate began to slow again and she got ready to get back onto her feet.

Before she could move, Jen heard a noise below her. Freezing in place, she peered through the plexiglass as two people exited the mall. They walked by, heading into the parking lot, completely oblivious to the naked woman hiding directly above them. Looking out, she saw Eve pull into a parking spot and turn her car back off.

As her pulse began to quicken again, Jen thought okay, no reason to panic. These people have no idea you’re here. If you stay silent they’ll just leave and then you can get out of here.

She took several slow, deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. Remaining completely frozen, she watched as the two women walked a distance together into the lot then split apart. Over the next several minutes she spied on them as they each got into their cars and eventually drove out of the parking lot.

Once they were gone she heard Eve’s car turn back on. Jen got back to her feet, being careful to keep one foot on the steel beam she’d landed on. Remaining in a ducked position, she quickly looked around the parking lot once more.

Once she felt secure that no one but Eve was around she shifted her weight to the steel strut on the far side of the marquee. As she did so she saw Eve start to pull up along the curb. Jen quickly started to lower herself over the side, her legs scraping slightly against the corner of the marquee as she pushed herself along the edge.

Eve came to a stop and Jen continued to get down from the marquee. Pushing herself off the edge, her grip was only strong enough to hold for a second, but it slowed her descent enough that she landed without any injury. Her balance teetered for a second, but she quickly regained it and dashed to Eve’s car.

Flinging herself into the passenger seat, Jen slammed the car door shut and immediately reached back to pick her clothing up.

“How the hell did you end up on the roof?” Eve asked, practically cackling with laughter.

“Lack of other options” was all Jen felt like saying as she pulled her clothes up from the back seat. Immediately she sorted through them and grabbed her bra, wanting to cover her top half from any exposure.

“And then dropping down to the marquee? Was that the only way down?”

“There was a ladder, but the last six feet was blocked by a grating. This was two short falls, not one long one.”

She pulled her bra on and started to work the clasps as Eve headed towards the parking lot’s exit.

“Well I hope to hear how you got to the roof someday,” Eve said, still giggling.

Jen didn’t respond, simply pulling her shirt on as the car left the mall’s grounds and entered the street.