Thermoception

The cold sensation of the thin metallic necklace that I had gathered in my mouth.

Desmond Bagley

Long after termites chewed continent-shaped holes into its pages, those desert adventures still run on in my head.

Victor Dragunsky, The Adventures of Dennis

A few moments later he was way behind us, but I could still hear the gravel crunching under his heavy boots. He was getting smaller and smaller. Then he climbed the slope quickly, that kind man in the blue shirt.

The train began speeding up, making the wind stronger and colder, I picked up the sieve of raspberries and carried it back into the car to Daddy. The frost on the berries was melting away. They were not as silvery as before but still, the smell was like a blossoming orchard.

Daddy was sound asleep. He'd spread out his arms and legs. There was no room for me. There was no one I could show the berries to. There was no one I could tell about the man in the blue shirt or his son Sasha. All the passengers were sound asleep.

When I set the basket on the floor I saw that the raspberry juice had stained my stomach, hands and legs red. I decided to go and wash the sticky juice off, but suddenly felt very drowsy.

There was a large suitcase standing on end in the corner. We'd used it as an extra table the evening before. I leaned over on it. The wheels began clattering louder than ever. I felt warm all over as I listened to them, and the song I'd made up floated around in my head:

  The train is speeding
                                  down
                                            the
                                                     tracks!
  The wheels go
                                   clatter-
                                                clatter!