How did Rose lose her camera?
She threw it to the ground, disgusted by what she had done
What had she done?
She had taken a photograph of something inappropriate, or rather
A photograph at an inappropriate time, or rather
A photograph instead of being a hero
What was the photograph of?
A ghost, or rather
A ghost
Does the ghost haunt her?
She sees her eyes when she closes her eyes
Her eyes looking back at her
Her eyes underneath her eyelids
She is always screaming
Screaming
Has anyone else ever screamed?
Her daughter, her sister, her lover, her mother
Rose
Rose
Does Rose believe in ghosts?
Rose believes in the restorative properties of the ocean
In the importance of sharing meals
And never drinking coffee on the go
She believes in the standard model of love
In which the two lovers are bonded
Into something greater than themselves
She believes in the oversoul
That all living things in the universe
Are part of a single consciousness
She believes in freshly-washed linens
And flowers on the table
And buying used books full of marginalia
She believes in soul
How did her belief system break down with the appearance of the ghost?
Softly, without trauma
In a series of imperceptible shifts
How many people has Rose been?
Rose is the same as anyone else