Affection

Memories of the house
The apartment, the first one
Then another house
Then another house
Neighbours
Interrupted by an unevenly shaven jaw
The neck
Minute variances in texture
Smoothing with the direction of the tiny hairs
Then against
Temperature
The storms over the ocean
The sound of traffic from the hotel window
Close
Muffled, still present
Open
Car exhaust and the damp smell of rain

The cafe
— | – Have you heard? They’ve seen it.
Eyes drifting, lilting across the space
Unfocussed
— Seen what…
The reply is muffled
Textureless surfaces
Low light
Pause
Intrusion of sound
— | – Um…
Slightly accelerated turn of the head
A faceless figure
Moving the lips
Feeling the shapes they are slowly making
Moving from one shape to the next
Pausing at the shape
Air pushing gently past the lips
— | – Sorry?
Blink
Increase the force of air through the larynx
— Can I… coffee…
— | – What? Of-course…
Muffled
Slow, precise movements
Grasping objects
Combining elements
The dull thudding of small collisions
Another muffled sound
The figure has paused
Facing her
She looks down
Reaches forward for the back of the chair
Grasps
Applies force
Lifts
A long wooden scrape
The tap as the lifted legs make contact with the floor
Movement
The swaying of weight
She sits down
Blinks
Raises her hand to her face
Examines
Places the hand across her face

Today I felt it going away from me
And then you came
You were there, or I was there with you
The same thing, or another thing that looked the same
Or a thing that was made to look the same
I thought you would ask me if I still felt it going away from me
The answer is yes

A wooden table
A cup of coffee
A glass of water
The sound of air moving through the throat
Close and loud
Nothing else

The Beast’s eyes are closed
A dark shadow against the light of day in the windows
Seated on the sofa
His knees are elevated above his hips
The man sits on the floor
Leaning against the window by the heater surrounded by chairs
Eyes closed
Tiny flexing of the torso
Shoulders raised
Pause
Lowered
An empty glass cradled loosely in his hand
She approaches the fridge
Open
Stare
Blink
Close
Turn
Move to the apartment door
Exit