Chapter 45 Chapter Forty-Four

It was silence that awakened her.Emiko spent the night sprawled on the ground, alternately falling asleep and awakened by the rumble of high-energy explosives and the high-pitched screams of high-capacity springs.The tracks of coal-fired tanks clanged in the streets, but most of the noise was in the distance, as the fighting took place mainly in other parts of the city.There are many discarded bodies in the streets, victims of street riots, and now, with larger conflicts breaking out, no one remembers them anymore. The whole city fell into an eerie silence.Candles were burning in some of the windows, where people had gathered to watch the devastation.Other than that there was no light, no methane lamps lit either in the houses or in the street.total darkness.It looks like either the city has run out of methane, or someone finally thought of turning off the main switch.

Emiko got up from the trash, looked at the watermelon and banana peels, and wrinkled her nose in disgust.There were a few columns of smoke in the orange-red sky lit by the flames, but nothing else.The streets were empty.There has never been a more opportune time for her plans than now. She turned her attention to the building.The sixth floor is Mr. Anderson's apartment.As long as she's there, she's safe.At first, she hoped that she could go through the hall by speed alone, and then find a way to go upstairs.But the front door of the building was locked and guards patrolled the inside.By now, everyone knew what she looked like, and it was obviously impossible to go straight in.Fortunately, she has a backup plan.

She feels hot.It was terribly hot.Earlier in the evening she had found a green coconut, but that had become a wistful memory.She counted the balconies again, one after the other, in a string above her head.There is water on it, and there is a cool breeze.She could live there, use it as a temporary hiding place, if she could get there. There was a rumble in the distance, and then a crackle like fireworks going off.She listened, unable to wait any longer.She quickly climbed up to the bottom balcony.The railings on the balcony are iron, as are the ones above.She leaned out to the outside of the first balcony, grabbed the iron railing of the second balcony, and climbed up easily.

After a while, she stood on the third balcony, panting wearily.She felt dizzy, the result of heat building up in her body.The cobbled lane below seemed to beckon her.She looked up at the edge of the balcony on the fourth floor, gathered all her strength, jumped up, and grabbed a good starting point.She pulled her body up to the balcony. She squatted on the railing of the fourth balcony, looking up at the fifth.Heat gradually accumulates in the body.She took a deep breath and jumped up.Her fingers caught the railing, and she was hanging in the air.She glanced down and immediately regretted it.The alley down there is so far away.She slowly pulled her body up, breathing heavily.

The apartment connected to this balcony was pitch black, and there was no movement.Emiko tried to push the iron frame of the security door, hoping for luck to enter the apartment building.But the door is locked.As long as she can drink water and splash it on her face, she is willing to exchange everything she has.She carefully looked at the structure of the security door, but could not find any weak point that would allow her to open it and enter. That is, one more dance. She returned to the edge of the balcony again.Her hands seemed to be the only parts of her body that sweated like a normal creature, and now they were oily and slippery.She wiped her hands again and again, trying to get as dry as possible.The heat inside her body was eating her.She climbed onto the balcony railing, feeling dizzy.She squatted down, trying to make her body more stable.

She jumped up. Fingertips brushed against the edge of the balcony and slipped off.She fell back heavily, hitting the balcony railing.She toppled over on the balcony, smashing the potted jasmine.There was a sharp pain in the ribs, and another injury, the elbow, was also painful. She lay between broken earthenware pots and jasmine flowers, sobbing softly, blood streaming from her hands.She couldn't stop sobbing, her whole body was shaking.The climbing and jumping along the way exhausted her physical strength. She awkwardly got up again, protecting her injured arm, hoping that someone would rush out of the apartment and grab her, but the apartment inside the door was still dark.

Emiko leaned against the balcony railing, looking up at her target. You stupid girl.Why do you have to live so desperately?Why can't you just jump down and be done with it?It's much easier to do then. She glanced down the dark alleyway below.She couldn't answer the question.The urge to live was as deep in her genes as her urge to please.She scrambled up the railing again, clumsily controlling her balance while protecting her aching arm.She looked up and prayed secretly to the Bodhisattva Shuizi Jizo who protected the clockwork man, hoping to get her mercy. She jumped up and held out her good hand, hoping to be saved.

Her fingers caught the railing... slipped off again... Emiko quickly swung her injured other hand and grabbed the railing.The ligaments in the elbow were completely torn, and the injured ribs gradually cracked and disconnected.She couldn't help letting out a short scream.She sobbed, panting violently in fits and starts, and stretched out her good arm, trying desperately to grab hold of the railing.Finally found a starting point.She let go of her other injured hand, letting it hang lifelessly. At this place far above the ground, Emiko was hanging in the air while holding onto the railing with one hand.I don't feel anything in my arm other than a burning pain.She sobbed softly, preparing to bear the pain again.She let out a final sob and reached out her injured arm again to grab the railing.

Please, please.Just a little more will do. Emiko put her own weight on that arm.She panted, hot air flowing back and forth in her throat.She lifted one leg, feeling the touch on her foot, hoping to find a railing to hook her toes on.Finally hooked an iron bar.She gritted her teeth and pulled her body up, sobbing softly, but never letting go. Just a little more. The muzzle of a spring-loaded pistol was pressed against her forehead. Emiko opened her eyes.A little girl held the pistol in trembling hands, staring at Emiko with fear in her eyes. "You're right," she whispered. An old Chinese man appeared behind her, his face hidden in shadow.They looked down at Emiko who was hanging in the air from the edge of the balcony.Emiko's hand started to slip, and the pain in her body was unbearably severe.

"Please," Emiko whispered, "help me."