Where Did Everybody Go? (Haunting cinematic gothic ballad) [Intro – music box, soft wind, distant crackling] (Child whispers) Mummy…? Daddy…? Where are you…? ⸻ [Verse 1] The hallway feels so cold tonight, It used to glow with golden light. The pictures smile upon the wall, But no one answers when she calls. She tiptoe through each empty room, The flowers faded into gloom. The laughter that once filled the air, Has vanished like it wasn’t there. ⸻ [Pre-Chorus] She hears her mummy call her name… Then everything goes still again. She hears her daddy somewhere near… But every sound just disappears. ⸻ [Chorus] She cries…. Where did everybody go? Why won’t anybody show? Yesterday our home was bright, Now it’s lost inside the night. Every room remembers me, Every shadow seems to breathe. I reach my hand into the air… But nobody is ever there. ⸻ [Verse 2] Her teddy waits beside her bed, His little ribbon faded red. The pumpkin smiles beside the door, She don’t remember it before. The windows wear a coat of grey, Like sunshine slowly burned away. There’s ash that dances through the hall… She can’t remember that at all. ⸻ [Pre-Chorus] Footsteps echo on the stairs… Someone whispers… Someone’s there… She runs as fast as she can go… But she is still all alone. ⸻ [Chorus] She cries…. Where did everybody go? Why won’t anybody show? This was once my happy place, Now it’s just an empty space. Every laugh has disappeared, Every voice I used to hear. Tell me why I’m still alone… Searching through my silent home. ⸻ [Bridge – music almost stops] Then she can see… Orange leaves… Floating slowly in the breeze. Children laughing… Dressed in white… Pumpkins glowing… Halloween night… Then the sky begins to glow… Smoke is dancing… Soft and slow… Blue lights flashing… People cry… Someone says… “We couldn’t get inside…” She sees a little girl… Holding tightly to her bear… Standing quietly… Watching everyone… From there… She turns around… She looks at her… She has her eyes… She smiles… Sadly… ⸻ [Final Chorus – powerful and heartbreaking] She was the little girl that night… Lost inside the orange light. Halloween… The fire grew… Before she ever knew. Now she wanders room to room… Through the silence… Through the gloom… Still believing they’ll come home… Though she’s been here… All alone. ⸻ [Final Outro – piano and music box only] If you hear me call your name… Please don’t run away… I’m not here to frighten you… I’m just waiting… For my mummy… For my daddy… To come home… One more time… (Whisper) Mummy…? Daddy…? Why can’t you find me…? (Music box slows… one final note… silence.)
