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The world outside had turned the color of

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slate, but inside the attic bedroom, time moved

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at the speed of melting wax.

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Leo pulled the heavy, meticulously stitched quilt up

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to his chin, letting the intricate texture of

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the fabric press comfortably against his chest.

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The room was tucked snugly beneath a sloped

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wooden ceiling of dark, polished oak that seemed

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to lean in close, whispering ancient stories of

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houses weathering the ages.

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Dusky blue light pooled in the corners, chasing

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away the remnants of the frantic day and

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replacing them with a quiet, intimate stillness.

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High above, framed by the slanted glass of

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the skylight, a gentle winter snowfall was beginning.

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Soft, pale flakes drifted down from the darkening

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sky, melting instantly against the warm pain or

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settling in delicate, feathery drifts around the frame.

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Leo watched the silent dance of the snow,

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listening to the muffled hush it brought to

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the world outside.

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The radiator beneath the eaves let out a

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low, rhythmic hiss, breathing warmth into the small

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interior sanctuary.

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With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes,

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completely cocooned from the biting frost, and drifted

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into the deep, safe harbor of a winter's

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evening.