Page 138 of Nearly Roadkill

---

Frankie:::leaning back:: Uh huh.

Johnny:When a person gets hypothermia, it’s very difficult to revive them. You have to take them to the hospital and work on them all night long, because there’s nothing to replace body heat easily. ::deep breath::

Frankie:::watching you, listening::

Johnny:In the mountains, when a hiker gets too cold ze’s got maybe half an hour until ze’s frozen. So the only thing ze can do is hope to find another person.

::pushing on::

That other person gets into the sleeping bag with the cold one, they have to both be naked, and they wait. Sure enough, the heat from the rescuer heats up the frozen person. Almost instantly. They have to stay together until the person’s heat comes back to normal.

Frankie:You’re making me cry.

Johnny:I was frozen, Winc. You warmed me up. I want to stay in the bag with you.

Frankie:::loss for words::

Johnny:Um, ::talking rapidly:: it’s my favorite story. I’ve loved it since I first heard it from a crusty old ice climber.

Frankie:::reaching my arms up around your neck::

Johnny:::holding you close to me:: ::breathing you in::

Frankie:::moving softly into your arms, crying crying::

Johnny:::stroking your hair::

Frankie:Missed you missed you missed you.

Johnny:Samesamesame.

Frankie:::willing my heat around the two of us::

Johnny:::relaxing into you:: I used to bore people with that story, never had anyone get it.

Error:Window closing.

Johnny:We got to go. But now we’re… we’re all… you know?

Frankie:::fiercely:: I know. We are. And we’re *gonna* be.

Johnny:<--- loves when you get fierce.

Frankie:::growling, extending claws::

Error:Window almost down, dearies. ::waving sage around the room::

Johnny:Wow! Gwynyth’s personalized touch! And she’s not even here!

Frankie:::laughing:: Guardian angel!

Johnny:Bye, love. We’ll find each other, OK?

Frankie:::nodding::

Frankie:Scratch?

Johnny:ILY.

---