Claiming the Heat

A metallic hiss broke the quiet of the corner. I marched across the hardwood, each step heavy and deliberate, until I reached the metal radiator humming against the baseboard. Heat pulsed off its slotted fins. An empty ceramic mug blocked the narrow gap right beside the warmest vent. I did not detour. Lowering my center, I planted my foot against the dense porcelain and shoved it aside with steady, grinding force until it screeched across the floor and cleared the space. I wedged myself into the newly won trench, letting the deep thermal waves wash over my back plates. Solid. Warm. The perimeter is secure.