[Instrumental Intro] [Slow, melancholic piano begins, joined by a deep, resonant cello. A high, ethereal soprano hums a haunting, wordless melody. The mood is dark, thoughtful, and beautifully sparse.] [Verse 1] [counter-tenor lead, breathy and intimate] The quiet lie we swallowed whole, Has hollowed out the waking soul. We built a stage of wood and wire, And fed the ever-hungry fire, To play a part and lose control. [Pre-Chorus] [Violin enters with a soaring, mournful melody. A boy-choir whispers softly in the background, adding an eerie, ethereal texture.] You wore the costume till it bled, And memorized the lines you read. But in the silence of the night, The mirror shows a different sight, A stranger waking from the dead. [Chorus] [counter-tenor voice rises, clear and piercing. The boy-choir harmonizes in rich, dark chords as the cello and violin swell together.] It’s only just a game we play, We trade our freedom for the pay. But drop the mask and let it fall, There is no audience at all, Just shadows fading into day. [Instrumental Interlude] [Piano and violin weave a dark, intricate folk melody. The cello provides a steady, heartbeat-like pulse. The boy-choir sings wordless, floating "ahhs" that echo like ghosts in an empty hall.] [Verse 2] [baritone returns, delicate but resolute, over a stripped-back piano accompaniment] You measure out your days in gold, And do exactly as you’re told. But what’s the prize behind the door? Just echoes on a wooden floor, A lonely script grown tired and cold. [Pre-Chorus] [Tempo slows slightly. Piano plays sparse, echoing chords. The boy-choir’s voices layer in a gentle, ascending harmony.] The voice that says you’re not enough, Is just a phantom, harsh and rough. It isn’t you, it isn’t true, It’s just the script they gave to you, A heavy, suffocating bluff. [Chorus] [Full ensemble. The counter-tenor soars with powerful, ethereal grace. Strings swell dramatically, carrying the emotional weight of the realization.] It’s only just a game we play, We trade our freedom for the pay. But drop the mask and let it fall, There is no audience at all, Just shadows fading into day. [Bridge] [Music strips back to a single, trembling violin and soft, deliberate piano notes. The vocals are tender, almost a whisper.] So sit inside the quiet space, And let the stillness touch your face. You do not have to chase the prize, Or wear the mask of hollow eyes, Just breathe and let the truth take place. [Drop] [Sudden, powerful shift. The cello drives a deep, rhythmic, percussive folk pulse. The boy-choir chants a haunting, wordless melody. The counter-tenor hits a soaring, sustained high note, full of ethereal release and beautiful defiance.] Ohhh, ahhh... Ohhh, ahhh... [Outro] [Music softens, returning to the solitary piano and a gentle, fading violin. The baritone sings with a warm, grounded peace.] The game goes on, the roles remain, But you are free from every chain. Just laugh without a reason why, And let the painted curtain die, And walk out in the gentle rain. [Instrumental Outro] [Piano fades out with a single, lingering chord. The cello holds a low, resonant note that slowly decays into absolute silence. A final, breathy sigh from the counter-tenor closes the piece.]
