Decide to try the rooftop.

The cold metal of the fire escape pressed against Gina's bare skin as she huddled in a tight ball on one of the lower rungs. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her knees, trying to shield herself from both the chilly air and the sharp discomfort of the exposed space. The evening air was biting, and with her damp skin still slick from the shower, she shivered uncontrollably, her teeth chattering as she did her best to keep warm.

The wind swept through the space between the buildings, sending gusts of cold air around her exposed body. Her wet hair, still clinging to the back of her neck, added to the sensation. The only thing that kept her from freezing was the tight curl of her body, trying desperately to shield herself from the harsh reality of the situation.

“Okay… I can’t just sit out here,” she muttered to herself, her voice quiet but laced with frustration. The longer she sat there, the colder she got, and the more her embarrassment began to spiral. “Someone’s gonna come out… or look up… or call the news…”

Or take a picture, she didn’t say.

A sharp breath escaped her as she leaned her head back against the brick wall, mind racing.

“Why would he even take my clothes?” she whispered bitterly. “What was he thinking?”

She sat with that thought for a moment. A flash of frustration surged in her chest—but just as quickly, she shoved it down. No use thinking about that now. Big Bird could wait.

Right now, she had one priority: getting herself back inside.

She lifted her eyes to the fire escape above her, the only direction she could go. Her escape route led up to the roof. It was the third floor—her floor, the top level. The fire escape led up to the roof, her only path out of sight, with no higher ground or windows to risk from apartments above.

She bit her lip, weighing her options. Staying here on the fire escape was dangerous. She couldn’t risk being seen by anyone below or someone catching a glimpse of her through an open window. The only safe place was up.

She sighed, the tension of the moment sinking in. She didn’t want to climb, didn’t want to go higher, but she had ****. The chill made her body tense, and the awkwardness of her current predicament pressed down on her like a weight.

“One option: go up,” she whispered to herself, as much for reassurance as for resolve.

Note: This chapter was initially composed with the help of ChatGPT, and then edited with the help of Gemini.