A Deep Hum

Night brought a persistent shudder through the foundation of the old boiler room. I followed the vibration inward. In the dark sat a heavy cast-iron exhaust pipe, thick with flaking paint and soot. It thrummed with water still coursing somewhere deep beneath. I did not strike it. Instead, I climbed onto the wide cylindrical curve, planting my claws firmly along the rim. Cold iron warmed against my hide. I leaned down, pressed my chest flat against the metal, and closed my eyes. The resonant, low frequency hummed straight into my bones. Good rest.