Three knocks. I know that sound now. Funny. I used to wonder what was on the other side. The stone warms under my hand Not much Just enough to make me leave it there You do that sometimes A breath through the wall Water where water has no business being That pull behind my ribs when I get too close I've never seen you Still I know when you're awake Everybody else steps back I don't The stone gets warmer Yeah I noticed. I don't need to see your face I've felt you move beneath this place Cold through stone heat through blood Close enough to almost call it love You never say it Neither do I Still I lean closer every damn time Whatever waits on the other side knows exactly how long I'll stay Black water reaches my boots Slow No splash Just higher The sword pulls at my wrist The page opens The key starts kicking against my chest Everybody feels it Nobody looks at me Good Because I'm smiling And I don't know when that started There you are. One step The House groans Another Something beneath me moves with my breath In Out In— Not mine. I don't need to see your face I've felt you move beneath this place Cold through stone heat through blood Close enough to almost call it love You never say it Neither do I Still I lean closer every damn time Whatever waits on the other side knows exactly how long I'll stay TAKE THE NAME TAKE THE BLOOD TAKE THE YEARS I HAVEN'T USED YET TAKE THE HAND TAKE THE BREATH JUST DON'T GO QUIET ON ME NOW I CAME THIS FAR COME CLOSER COME ON SHOW ME YOU KNOW I'M HERE The edge catches my palm Barely One red line One drop between the stones Everything stops Then the water moves Not toward me Toward that Another drop falls Faster this time The wall shudders The key bends toward my hand I whisper, "You missed me?" Nothing I squeeze my palm Blood hits stone And the whole damn House leans closer I laugh once Then I don't I never needed to see your face I put one there anyway Gave your silence a voice Gave your reaching a name Called the cold something tender Called the pull something ours You never said my name I put it in your mouth And now that I know better I still leave my hand against the stone Closer. Yeah. I heard you. Three knocks from somewhere below I close my eyes Wait Then knock back.
