Waterlogged by his dreams, Jake upon waking felt as if he was in his childhood bedroom, but the light coming through the slats in the condominium windows told him he was in a sunnier, distant place.

He hummed at dusk.

"It's broken!" he cried and pointed at the floor, with a painful pressure against the back of his eyes.

He heard the furnace rumble in the basement and then a woosh as hot air blew in, hushed, from the vent by the baseboard.

Dusty, choking heat poured out of the grey oldsmobile as if the sun was melting its purple interior.