Nine; Black Blizzard - Jeff Beal

(instrumental)

The first thing wrong with the morning is the cold. Jack's thinking of a winter four years past, of a still, pale blue hand and black ink-stains, and when Kloppman comes to wake him he is already up, sitting on his bed and staring at the dirty snow and ice outside, blankets drawn over his shoulders. The second thing wrong with the morning is that no one leaves the lodging house; Jack offers to pay for lunch that day, sends Race and Mush and Blink out to Tibby's with nearly all that is left of his savings. They come back with wrapped parcels of food and cases of root beer, and sit with him in the corner as the younger boys amuse themselves, looking at the day as a holiday, though they can barely move with the cold. Race's back against his knees is reassuring, but he can't get the winter out of his head.