THE DULL EMBERS OF THE RADIATOR CORE

Dear Delyara, The small electric heater on the floor just clicked off, its internal thermostat deciding the room has reached its bare minimum requirement for warmth. As the metal coils inside began to cool down, they made a series of tiny, sharp pinging sounds, like a small animal ticking in its sleep. Watching that faint red glow slowly fade into grey was the saddest thing I’ve seen all night. It’s so hard to keep the heat inside a room that has so many cold windows. I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders, feeling the cold air immediately claim the space the heater abandoned, wondering how much longer my own internal engine can keep fighting off the frost.