Cool Down

Hitching a ride home from San Marcos in a thick scarf meant my soles finally caught a break from Quito's gritty cobbles. Once back in the quiet bedroom, I scrambled up to the vanity and zeroed in on a real prize: a pale-green jade face roller sitting cold beside a frosted glass bottle. You think I care about smoothing cheekbones? Please. I leaned back against an open wooden jewelry box, rested my arches on the chilled stone cylinder, and gave it a slow, lazy roll across the polished lacquer. That icy mineral chill bit straight into my tired feet. Don't look at me like that, darling. Even weapons need to cool down.