Key in the lock House breathes back One step in Floorboards crack Clock hands stall On thirteen past Shadow moves But mine stays back My name Said from the hallway Not yours But it sounds that way My name in a voice That I never gave A chill — like someone choosing "Come here" And the walls start moving And I get pulled past the door Off the map of the world I swore I knew Through the wallpaper — through the floor They say "We've been waiting here for you" Hands made of smoke on my sleeves Faces in flickers of green and blue I'm caught in the crossworld Every nightmare recognizes you Floorboards breathe in Like a chest — like a lung Cold on my ankle Something curling my tongue Curtains move inward Though the windows are sealed Whispers stack higher Till the ceiling peels Eyes in the air Blink slow — then stack Voices overlap But they don't talk back They hum all my secrets They grin like old regrets I ask "Can I still leave here?" They laugh — "Tell us where here ends" And I get pulled past the door Off the map of the world I swore I knew Through the wallpaper — through the floor They say "We've been waiting here for you" Hands made of smoke on my sleeves Faces in flickers of green and blue I'm caught in the crossworld Somewhere that never should be Paranormal hearts beat Right underneath my feet They speak in my memories Using my mother's laugh Faces made of steam as melting snow Rising from the glass Teeth made of razors Smiles cut clean Room turns red — then pale gasoline I reach for the light My arm goes through Something wearing my shape Smiles back and says "Thank you" Now I'm the ghost past the door I'm the face in the static of your room Pressing fingerprints in your floor Whispering "We've been waiting here for you" When your reflection disagrees When your name crawls out of empty rooms In this realm of the in-between Every stranger looks a lot like you Torn between terror and peace Paranormal hearts beat In time with mine In me
