Today's #flashfiction Scaling Mount Empire

“Tonight I'll get takeout.”

Wile E. Coyote* #quote

Tomorrow I'm going to my costuming club, the last one before the big convention we're holding. Dun, dun, dun! Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Scaling Mount Empire

         In mere moments George Hanson would be the first worm to scale the Empire State Building. At least he hoped. He wouldn't be the first to try. An extreme worm sport was building climbing. Worms lived in the dirt and to scale human buildings showed extreme dexterity, strength and movement abilities beyond that of a normal worm. Along with stupid courage. Many worms who attempted this extreme sport died.

          Besides living through the intense strain on the body the predators threatened the worms. And George Hanson curled himself in fear as in the final stretch to the top he saw that a whole line of twenty pigeons perched between him and the top. The extreme sensitivity of the worm body allowed it to create a mental picture of the world. He could feel the wind hitting him from all directions and how it was blocked. George had the wisdom to go on the rooftop during the nighttime. Early birds get every single building climber who was stupid enough to go during the day time.

        Hanson moved his body even slower than normally to avoid stirring the birds awake. He used his senses to determine where the debris on the rooftop lay and wiggled his body around it. Sometimes he even moved his body through the air like a slow-motion spring over some pieces of dirt. A single disturbance could awake the birds. Knocking something about could bring them upon him.

        With a painful amount of caution and effort he reached the base of the thin spire atop the Empire State Building. He kept crawling and crawling. The air became thin and wind completely still. He never felt anything like this. Nothing existed but himself. He felt an intense satisfaction as well. However he knew he couldn't stay. If morning came he would be caught by the birds. He began his climb back downward. George Hanson the worm didn't possess the ability to smile, but in his heart he did.