Five

(shhh) Five

beats. Wait.

Five

breaths. Again.

Five seconds before the answer Five seconds before I move

Five little signs in the silence Five things I already knew

Five doors in the hallway

Only one feels warm

Five different ways to disappear And somehow I return I don't ask

why

I just notice I don't force it I let it show Something

keeps repeating Something I don't need to name

If you watch long enough You'll see it do the same

One.

Two.

Three.

Four. Don't look away.

Five.

Five seconds Five signs Five ways back to me

Five chances Five lines Five things I couldn't unsee

Five seconds Five signs Five ways back to me

I don't know who put the pattern there

I only know It's following me

Five shadows on the ceiling Five footsteps down the hall

Five versions of the story

And I remember all

Five words I almost said

Five times I changed my mind Five different roads behind me Still

the same place every time

Maybe it's coincidence

Maybe that's what we call it When we see the shape Before

we understand it I keep finding five In places it shouldn't be

And every time I count it Something counts back at me

One.

Two. Three.

Four.

Feel that?

Five.

Five breaths.

Hold. Five heartbeats. Still.

Five doors.

One opens.

Five versions.

Which one is real?

Five. Five.

Five.

Don't count it.

You'll find it.

Five. Five.

Five.

Don't name it. Just notice.

Five lights in the distance.

Five sounds underneath.

Five little pieces moving

Before I can see.

Five seconds Five signs Five ways back to me

Five chances Five lines Five things I couldn't unsee

Five seconds Five signs Five ways back to me

Maybe the pattern isn't following me.

Maybe—

I'm following it.

Five beats. Five breaths.

Five seconds.

And then— nothing.

Until five again.