is the castle still haunted? does the man with the rod still stand guard? do the floorboards still croak in fear? do the walls still listen? is this the home you are sick for? is this the body you saved? i heard you tried outgrowing your skin. tried cutting your hair. but your name still tastes the same in your mouth, doesn’t it? isn’t the bitterness still all too familiar? do you grieve the woman you might’ve become? do you wish you’d been stronger? do you still use the time machine in your closet? or look for the spaceship in the bathtub? i heard you’re still running. aren’t you tired? the winds still whisper. the trees still talk. the house is still haunted. your shadow still walks. you can’t run from this, you know? not from this.