The words

When he opens the door, the wooden steps are on the other side
No sway
But nevertheless the quiet groaning of wood
Foot lowered to the step
The slightly reverberant tap
Shifting of weight
The other foot is swung in a low arc
Slowly through the air
Torso lowered with the momentum
Foot down on the next step below
The action repeated
Down towards the clear space
The table, candle and mirror
Low wooden ceiling
Stop
Then the body orients
Detection of the slight sway
Distant groaning wood
Nothing
He steps forward
To the table
Tilts the head forward to regard it
Blink
Turn to the side
Shift weight
Move
Each step hollow and tonal in the wooden floor
Pause
Turn
Walk back
Stop
He moves about the space
Reflection appearing in the mirror as he passes
Then gone
Then appearing again
Pause
Move
Stop
Inhale
Exhale
He stands still
Breathes
Pause
Breathes
Turns his head towards the steps
Leans
Shifting of weight
The foot is lifted and swung
Lands on the first step
Application of force
The other foot is swung
At the top of the stair he takes hold of the door-knob
Exits
Draws the door shut
Walks through a hall
Carpet
Silence
Past two doors
Then the third, open
Stop
Regard the dark space inside
Stillness
Darkness
Silence

Fingers
Application of force through the arm
Muscles tightening slowly
Drawing the bones up
Moving silently in the air
Lateral force
Glide
And then the fingers on the plastic panel
Exact
Precise
And knowing
Snap

The light is amplified by reflective surfaces
Immediately, he closes his eyes
The orange glow of the eyelids
Draws the hand away from the switch
Up towards his face
Covering
The slow fade of retinal burn
Inhale through the nose
Exhale
Draw the hand away
Lower to the front of the thigh
The orange glow of the eyelids
Minute application of force
Liquid separation across the eye
Brilliant light
Muscles by the temples tensing
Jaw pulled
Eyes slowly open
Tiled floor and walls
Counter
Sink
Bath and shower
Toilet
White surfaces of the toilet interrupted by blood
Dripping down the convex porcelain
In-front of the toilet the woman lies on her side in a pool of blood
Hair wet with pale red and fanned randomly, close by her head
A hand at rest on the side of the palm
Little finger in the blood from tip to wrist
The tips of the others in the blood
Clothes wet
Bare feet covered by a thin film of liquid
He stares
Blinks
Looks at her head, the side of her face in the blood
Eyes open
He stares at the eyes
Stillness
Silence
Nothing
Inhale
Exhale
Then the eyelids give a single twitch
Slowly move towards one-another across the surface of the eyes
Half-way
Then open again
Her lips part
Head rolls slowly forward
Lips touch the blood, the tile
Exhale
The man feels the weight of his body
Electrical messages in the nerves
The knees bend
Lower the body into a squat
Then lean
One knee on the tile
The other
Settles the torso upright
Hands on the thighs
The arm beneath her body moves
Spine flexes
Arm dragged out between the midriff and the blood and tile
The spine twists and the shoulders are rotated
Elbow up
Fingers splayed and the heel of the palm on the tile
Application of force
She pushes her torso slowly up
Closes the eyes
Slowly draws her legs towards her body
Dragging through the blood
Settles on one buttock
Blood dripping from the side of her face
Her clothing
Hair damp
Eyes open
She looks at him where he kneels
Blinks
Lips part
Inhale
Hold
Exhale
Silence