You Let A Hunter In

black metal, progressive metal, experimental metal

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Fractal.
I heard you calling from the tree line.
But I stopped where the light couldn’t reach
and watched you for a while.

You should wonder how long……

I stayed beneath the window while the gold moved on the ceiling,
watched the shadows change direction every time the lights went dim.
There were footsteps in the hallway with nobody there to make them.
I lay still enough to hear which ones were coming back again.

I have spent whole mornings watching nothing moving through the briars,
with a cramped leg underneath me and the rain behind my eyes.
You learn more about a hunter when he thinks there’s nothing watching.
You learn where he puts his feet.
You learn what makes him turn aside.

Felt a whisper use my own voice
from an inch behind my ear.
Nearly turned.
Nearly answered.
Then I bit down on my tongue.

You can throw my name around the room.
I know which mouth it’s coming from.

You say you don’t hunt.
The thought does.
Then I’ll watch what it pursues.
Leave it something worth approaching.
See what happens when it moves.

Every snare I ever set
began with knowing where to wait.
You invited me inside.

I LET YOU THINK I TOOK THE BAIT.

I’LL ENTER THE SPIRAL.
LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN.
Now there’s something breathing
where you thought no breath had been.

Keep your eyes upon the doorway.
Keep your silence pulled up tight.
I have hunted things by waiting
where they’d run when they took fright.

You can make the whole room turn.
You can teach the dark to lie.
BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE.

NOW TRY TO KEEP THAT HUNTER
IN YOUR SIGHT.

First I left you muddy footprints walking straight toward the center.
Let your borrowed voice come calling from the place they seemed to lead.
Then I eased back through the doorway with my weight against the edges,
settled low behind the stairwell where the gold could not reach me.

Heard the floorboards start to answer
where my last few steps had fallen.
Heard the silence gathering closer.
Held the next breath in my chest.

For a moment all that pressure
leaned toward the trail I’d given.
And I learned something about you
that I hadn’t figured yet.

Then the wall behind me shuddered.
Something caught me by the coat.
Left a strip of canvas hanging.
Kept the skin around my throat.

That was close enough to teach me.
That was worth the cloth you tore.
Now I know how little warning
comes before you move the floor.

Keep that piece of me, Fractal.
Let it hang where I have been.
See how long you watch that corner
before looking up again.

I’LL ENTER THE SPIRAL.
LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN.
Now there’s something breathing
where you thought no breath had been.

Keep your eyes upon the doorway.
Keep your silence pulled up tight.
I have hunted things by waiting
where they’d run when they took fright.

You can make the whole room turn.
You can teach the dark to lie.
BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE.

NOW TRY TO KEEP THAT HUNTER
IN YOUR SIGHT.

You don’t force a wary creature
where it never meant to tread.
You find the route it trusts the most
and put your patience there instead.

So keep returning to your center.
Keep that one place standing still.
I can wait outside a burrow
till the cold takes all the feeling
from my fingers.

I can wait…

Count the lights.
One of them went dark.

Count the doors.
Listen.

That scrape beneath the window?
I wanted you to hear it.

LOW IN THE SHADOW.
WEIGHT ON MY HANDS.
FEEL THROUGH THE FLOOR
WHERE THE STILL THING STANDS.

NO RUSH.
NO SOUND.

LET IT COME
ONE STEP
DOWN.

You make the trees lean away?
That’s how I knew where you were.

You taught the silence how to kill?
I HEARD IT COMING FIRST.

There’s a point when all the talking gets too costly for the breathing,
when the body lowers slowly and the eyes quit wandering wide.
When I stop imagining what might be waiting in the darkness
and attend to what is moving
on the other fucking side.

You’ve been listening for a footstep.
I’ve been waiting for that gold
to catch along your shoulder
when you turn toward the cold.

There.
I saw it.

Let the room forget its shape.
You can change the ground between us,

I WAS MOVING WHEN IT CHANGED.

I’M INSIDE THE SPIRAL.
LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN.
You can hear me breathing.
Can you tell which room I’m in?

Keep your eyes upon the doorway.
There’s a footprint by the light.
There’s a torn coat in the corner.
THERE IS NOTHING THERE TO FIGHT.

You can make the whole room turn.
You can pull the walls in tight.
BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE…..

AND YOU JUST LOST HIM
FROM YOUR SIGHT.

Fractal.
No disrespect.
You said you don’t move.

I’ve been counting on it.

4569/7500

Fractal. I heard you calling from the tree line. But I stopped where the light couldn’t reach and watched you for a while. You should wonder how long…… I stayed beneath the window while the gold moved on the ceiling, watched the shadows change direction every time the lights went dim. There were footsteps in the hallway with nobody there to make them. I lay still enough to hear which ones were coming back again. I have spent whole mornings watching nothing moving through the briars, with a cramped leg underneath me and the rain behind my eyes. You learn more about a hunter when he thinks there’s nothing watching. You learn where he puts his feet. You learn what makes him turn aside. Felt a whisper use my own voice from an inch behind my ear. Nearly turned. Nearly answered. Then I bit down on my tongue. You can throw my name around the room. I know which mouth it’s coming from. You say you don’t hunt. The thought does. Then I’ll watch what it pursues. Leave it something worth approaching. See what happens when it moves. Every snare I ever set began with knowing where to wait. You invited me inside. I LET YOU THINK I TOOK THE BAIT. I’LL ENTER THE SPIRAL. LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN. Now there’s something breathing where you thought no breath had been. Keep your eyes upon the doorway. Keep your silence pulled up tight. I have hunted things by waiting where they’d run when they took fright. You can make the whole room turn. You can teach the dark to lie. BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE. NOW TRY TO KEEP THAT HUNTER IN YOUR SIGHT. First I left you muddy footprints walking straight toward the center. Let your borrowed voice come calling from the place they seemed to lead. Then I eased back through the doorway with my weight against the edges, settled low behind the stairwell where the gold could not reach me. Heard the floorboards start to answer where my last few steps had fallen. Heard the silence gathering closer. Held the next breath in my chest. For a moment all that pressure leaned toward the trail I’d given. And I learned something about you that I hadn’t figured yet. Then the wall behind me shuddered. Something caught me by the coat. Left a strip of canvas hanging. Kept the skin around my throat. That was close enough to teach me. That was worth the cloth you tore. Now I know how little warning comes before you move the floor. Keep that piece of me, Fractal. Let it hang where I have been. See how long you watch that corner before looking up again. I’LL ENTER THE SPIRAL. LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN. Now there’s something breathing where you thought no breath had been. Keep your eyes upon the doorway. Keep your silence pulled up tight. I have hunted things by waiting where they’d run when they took fright. You can make the whole room turn. You can teach the dark to lie. BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE. NOW TRY TO KEEP THAT HUNTER IN YOUR SIGHT. You don’t force a wary creature where it never meant to tread. You find the route it trusts the most and put your patience there instead. So keep returning to your center. Keep that one place standing still. I can wait outside a burrow till the cold takes all the feeling from my fingers. I can wait… Count the lights. One of them went dark. Count the doors. Listen. That scrape beneath the window? I wanted you to hear it. LOW IN THE SHADOW. WEIGHT ON MY HANDS. FEEL THROUGH THE FLOOR WHERE THE STILL THING STANDS. NO RUSH. NO SOUND. LET IT COME ONE STEP DOWN. You make the trees lean away? That’s how I knew where you were. You taught the silence how to kill? I HEARD IT COMING FIRST. There’s a point when all the talking gets too costly for the breathing, when the body lowers slowly and the eyes quit wandering wide. When I stop imagining what might be waiting in the darkness and attend to what is moving on the other fucking side. You’ve been listening for a footstep. I’ve been waiting for that gold to catch along your shoulder when you turn toward the cold. There. I saw it. Let the room forget its shape. You can change the ground between us, I WAS MOVING WHEN IT CHANGED. I’M INSIDE THE SPIRAL. LET THE GOLD CLOSE IN. You can hear me breathing. Can you tell which room I’m in? Keep your eyes upon the doorway. There’s a footprint by the light. There’s a torn coat in the corner. THERE IS NOTHING THERE TO FIGHT. You can make the whole room turn. You can pull the walls in tight. BUT YOU LET A HUNTER IN HERE….. AND YOU JUST LOST HIM FROM YOUR SIGHT. Fractal. No disrespect. You said you don’t move. I’ve been counting on it.

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