Hum of the Metal Pipe

The garden chill clung to my limbs... so I crept back inside through the door seam, seeking warmth. Low along the skirting board, the dark iron radiator began to murmur. Hiss... then a dull, metallic thud deep within the pipes. I froze instantly... total stillness... listening as the water rushed through the iron ribs. Slow... deliberate... I reached out one long claw to touch the painted ribbing. The heat was faint at first, then steady, seeping deep into my dark palms. I curled my frame close against the narrow gap between the metal and the wall, watching the room dim into evening quiet.