She could see that Victor was too frightened to move either up to the window or back down. “Climb!” Oswaldo shouted. Without thinking, she effortlessly scaled the building. She tried to calm Victor, but all she could do was screech and pat him. “My fingers hurt,” he told her. It was clear he would not be able to hold on much longer. Alarmed, Fulang tried to coach the boy in how to climb back down by miming each step, but Victor was too frightened to move. Quickly Fulang descended to the alley in search of something or someone to help. The alley was now empty. Oswaldo had disappeared as the sounds of sirens came closer and closer. The police would be there any minute. Unfortunately, Fulang didn’t think Victor could hold on for even that one minute. She searched around the alley for something, anything to save this boy. She ran to one end of the alley. Nothing. She ran to the other end. Still nothing. Frantically, she climbed onto an empty packing crate, thinking that it might break Victor’s fall.
