I hear you, she says, I hear you.
I hear her and my heart stops: I am filled with dread. Lilacs snap in two, threaded nails strip, buttons come undone.
I hear you.
And through the walls the sound of fans becoming unhinged, of blades wobbling, circumfrences wild. Doors bend, window panes flex, floors rattle.
I hear you.
I stuff myself into blankets three deep, frozen, a whisper becomes a roar, and the fog of my breath icicles on my lips.
I hear you.