We had walked for quite sometime when a buzzing sound reached my ears. Peering through the haze I could just make out a cupboard sized machine on the side of the road ( or should I say snow track?) that appeared to make that noise.
"Oh that" Vi said when I asked her about the noise, "that's a giant heater you are looking at. You'll see more of these things around here. They control the temperature. Somewhat." she shrugged.
"Well" I queried as I tried to rub out the cold from my hands, " they don't seem to be doing a good job, isn't it? I mean.. couldn't you up the temperature or something?"
Vi gave me a queer look. " That thing is set to a temperature of about 1000 degrees." Now it was my turn to look queer. True, as we passed it a few short blasts of warm air appeared to come out of it, but 1000 degrees? I wasn't ready to believe...