Whiskey & Catnip Run

[SCENE — WHISKERLINE JUNCTION SALOON / LATE NIGHT] [sound design: low saloon chatter, whiskey glasses, poker chips, wind outside, distant train whistle] [Old Timer - male, gravelly] Wasn’t the missing shipment that killed this town. [pause] [Old Timer - male, gravelly] It was what showed up instead. [Second Voice - male, younger] Ducati made it back though… didn’t he? [Old Timer - male, gravelly] Oh, he made it back. [sound cue: chair creak] [Old Timer - male, gravelly] Rolled right into Whiskerline Junction just before sunrise. Coach wheels squealing. Engine smoking. Looked like he’d seen something out past Dead Rail Bend. [Second Voice - male, younger] So what happened? [Old Timer - male, gravelly] They opened the crates. [pause] [Old Timer - male, gravelly] Water and kibble. [sound design: saloon gets quieter] [Laizer Beam - female, calm from the back] And Ducati swore that ain’t what he loaded in Glutchpaw. [sound cue: harmonica swell → full band crashes in] [VERSE 1: LAIZER BEAM] [Laizer Beam - female, confident] Red dust blowing through the station lights Glutchpaw humming on a Friday night Ducati rolled out with the cargo sealed Whiskey and catnip stacked floor to wheel [Laizer Beam - female, confident] Whole town waiting on the weekend sound Bottles popping when the coach rolled down Then sunrise hit and the crates got cracked And every old face in town stepped back [PRE-CHORUS: JACQUES] [Jacques - male, grounded] No broken locks No cut supply line Just sacks of kibble And water inside [CHORUS: ALL] [ALL] Whiskey and catnip turned into dust Somewhere on the road between luck and trust Whiskerline Junction drying out slow Watching bad news roll in with the coach [ALL] Hey! Ducati what’d you see? [ALL] Hey! What happened out past mile three? [VERSE 2: DUCATI] [Ducati - male, rugged] I loaded whiskey by the rail yard gate Catnip stacked in wooden crates Checked every seal before I rolled Ain’t no way the cargo changed on its own [Ducati - male, rugged] But somewhere near Dead Rail Crossing sign The night got heavy and I lost some time Radio hissed then the lantern died Next thing I knew I was crossing county line [PRE-CHORUS: BIANCA DE GATO] [Bianca de Gato - female, smooth] Some blame thieves Some blame lies Some say Ducati lost his mind [CHORUS: ALL] [ALL] Whiskey and catnip turned into dust Now the whole town argues who to trust Whiskerline Junction running on fumes Living off kibble and water tins [ALL] Hey! Hear the old rails groan [ALL] Hey! This town don’t feel like home [BRIDGE] [sound cue: stripped drums, lonely harmonica, low wind] [Claudia del Lio - female, low and steady] Funny thing is… [pause] [Claudia del Lio - female, low and steady] Nobody remembers Ducati unloading the coach. [Bammer the Fluff - calm, distant] But everybody remembers opening the crates. [sound cue: bass slam] [FINAL CHORUS: ALL] [ALL] Whiskey and catnip never hit the town Now the lights stay dim when the sun goes down Whiskerline Junction barely hanging on Ever since the freight came rolling wrong [ALL] Hey! Hear that depot moan [ALL] Hey! Something changed out on that road [OUTRO] [sound design: distant coach wheels, telegraph clicks, wind through signs] [Old Timer - male, quieter] Strange part is… [pause] [Old Timer - male, quieter] Ducati still swears the shipment was right when he pulled into town.