Pause.

Sun comes through the fanlight, falling in colors across the floor:
red and blue, purple

my face, distant
and white and distorted, framed in the hall mirror

There's someone standing in the hall,
near the door to the room where I stay

this is a man,
his back to me; he's looking into the room, dark against its light.

he hears me coming,

turns.
heistantes.
walks forwards.

towards me.
what do I do now?

I stop, he pauses,
I can't see-
his face,
he's looking at me, what does he want?
it wouldn't do to stare.

he steps to the side to avoid touching me
I can see now,

It's the commander,

he isn't supposed to be here.
But then he moves forward again, inclines his head, and is gone.

something has been shown to me,
like the flag of an unknown country.