Inside the cabin she felt feverish. Face flushing. Hands clammy. Throat scratchy.

The longer she stayed in with windows frosted and fireplace blazing, the more she felt that she might explode. With tea kettle whistling and thermometer cracking, she threw open the door and burst outside.

Under the icicles, her fists unclenched. As she stepped into the yard with cautious trepidation, the pounding in her head stopped. She inhaled peace and breathed out three months of stale cabin air and frustration that had begun rotting in her lungs like disease.

She breathed in hope - hope that spring was on the way.