[INTRO — old record crackle / distant children playing / warped piano] CHILD, whispering: You came back… MAN: I never left. CHILD: Then why’d you stop listening to me? DARK VOICE, faintly: Because he became just like them. MAN: …Who said that? [BEAT DROPS — enormous kick / dry snare] [VERSE 1 — MAN] There’s three of us living inside of this skull, One remembers the pain, one pretends that it’s dull, One waits in the darkness ‘til I’m losing control, Then whispers little sentences directly to my soul. “Remember when they laughed?” Yeah. “Remember being ignored?” Yeah. “Remember watching everybody walk right through the door?” Yeah. “Then why you acting peaceful like you’ve suddenly changed? They didn’t give you closure— they just gave you the pain.” Hold up. That’s exactly how the darkness gets fed, It don’t enter looking evil—it sounds like common sense instead. It knows every insecurity, every scar that I hide, ‘Cause the devil doesn’t need directions— when he’s already inside. [HOOK — haunting female vocal / heavy bass] CHILD: Please don’t leave me here… DARK: They deserve your hate… MAN: I’m caught between the two of you, Trying to separate— What’s memory? What’s anger? What’s truth? What’s lies? When you’re fighting with yourself… Who chooses which voice survives? [VERSE 2 — CHILD] I remember that room. Everybody laughing. I remember pretending that nothing ever happened. I remember going quiet ‘cause nobody would’ve cared. I remember needing you… MAN: I wasn’t there. CHILD: Exactly. [DRUMS CUT] CHILD: You grew up. Got stronger. People finally see you. But you became so damn cold… I don’t even recognize you. [BEAT RETURNS HARDER] MAN: Don’t put that shit on me, I did what I had to do, Nobody protected us, so who was I supposed to turn to? Every wall that I constructed kept somebody outside— CHILD: Yeah… Including me. [SILENCE] MAN: …Damn. [VERSE 3 — DARK VOICE, low and calm] Don’t listen to the child. He’s the reason that you’re weak. I’m the reason you survived when you couldn’t even speak. I taught you not to trust them. I taught you never bend. I taught you everybody smiling ain’t necessarily your friend. I gave you that ambition. I gave you that rage. I turned that frightened little boy into a man nobody plays. MAN: Maybe. DARK: Not maybe. You need me. MAN: That’s what scares me. DARK: Why? MAN: Because lately when I look into the mirror… I see you staring. [BEAT SWITCH — chopped strings / heavier drums] [VERSE 4 — MAN] Now we’re getting somewhere. You weren’t strength—you were defense, A survival mechanism that stopped making sense. You protected that child when he couldn’t fight back, But the emergency ended— and you never unpacked. DARK: They’re still laughing. MAN: Let ’em. DARK: They still don’t respect you. MAN: Let ’em. DARK: You gonna forgive them?! MAN: I never said that. See, forgiveness ain’t permission, And peace ain’t pretending. Some relationships deserve A permanent ending. But I won’t spend another decade Having arguments in bed With people who ain’t even there— living rent-free in my head. [FINAL VERSE — MAN + CHILD] MAN: Come here, little man. CHILD: Why? MAN: We leaving. CHILD: Where? MAN: Anywhere but here. You don’t gotta keep replaying every miserable year. You don’t need their acceptance, Don’t need revenge to grow, And everything they told you— I need you to let it go. CHILD: What about him? [DARK VOICE laughs quietly] MAN: He comes too. CHILD: WHAT?! Because darkness isn’t something I’m pretending doesn’t exist. That’s anger, instinct, survival— I just won’t let it steer this shit. I ain’t killing any piece of me. I’m putting each one in its place. The child gets compassion. The darkness gets restraint. And the man standing between them? Finally gets to choose his fate. [FINAL HOOK — MASSIVE DRUMS / STRINGS / VOCAL SAMPLE] Three voices… ONE MIND. Three versions… ONE LIFE. One remembers all the pain, One keeps telling me to fight. But the third finally realized Something neither understood— Surviving made me dangerous. Choosing peace made me good. [OUTRO — beat slowly strips away] CHILD: Are we safe now? MAN: Yeah. DARK: You sure about that? MAN: No. But I’m driving now. [single piano note] [vinyl stops]
