There was nothing for his feet to grip, and the tips of his boots skidded across the submerged stone. A sharp pain grew in his elbow as his weight bore down on the rusted metal. The steam made it hard to breathe, his lungs straining. He squeezed his eyes shut, and stretched upward to find another rung. The metal was hot and wet under his fingers. He gripped, pulled. Again. His whole body shook with the effort, mouth clamped tight, face to the skies, but he repeated the process, arm over arm until his feet found leverage and he lifted himself free of the boiling water.