[Intro - distant carnival ambience, detuned calliope, ride bells] [Spoken - dry, amused] I said, “Carnival. Couple rides. Grab some food.” Should’ve known better. ...Way better. [Electric guitar crashes in, stealing the calliope melody] [Verse 1] Neon bleeding down the midway, Cheap lights buzzing overhead, Jex is grinning at the game guy Like she’s got something planned inside her head. TC’s standing at the ring toss, Now somehow we’re keeping score, He says, “Best of three,” I tell him, “Man, you said that six games before.” Jewpool’s walking by with bagels, Like that somehow makes perfect sense, And every time Jex gets an idea He’s the asshole yelling, “DO IT!” from the fence. [Pre-Chorus - rising like a carnival ride] I came here thinking we’d take it slow, But I should know these people better by now— One ticket in, Common sense out, HERE WE GO! [Chorus - huge melodic street punk] We got one night, So burn it bright, Under busted bulbs and carnival lights. Ride too fast, Laugh too loud, Lose ourselves inside the crowd. If everything goes wrong tonight, Then maybe we’re doing something right. No map, no plan, no getting us out— WELCOME TO ADMISSION TO CHAOS! [Verse 2 - driving punk, carnival organ creeping in] Nova and Kira hit the arcade, Haven’t seen either one in an hour, Last I heard somebody broke a high score And somebody else was drunk on victory and power. PsychoBabble’s laughing on the coaster, Kaelith says, “One more ride!” Meanwhile I’m watching that thing upside down Thinking, “Yeah, I’m good right here outside.” Synnerette’s winning half the midway— Tentacles make carnival games unfair. Guy behind the counter stares in silence, Like he’s reconsidering his whole career. [Pre-Chorus - bells and tack piano joining] Cotton candy stuck to somebody’s coat, Jex stole my fries and vanished again. TC points toward the go-kart track— [Spoken] Aw, hell. [Chorus] We got one night, So burn it bright, Under busted bulbs and carnival lights. Ride too fast, Laugh too loud, Lose ourselves inside the crowd. If everything goes wrong tonight, Then maybe we’re doing something right. No map, no plan, no getting us out— WELCOME TO ADMISSION TO CHAOS! [Instrumental Transition - starting grid] [Band drops down] [Engine ambience] [Bass pulse] [Drumstick count-in] [Warped calliope] [Spoken] They said, “It’s only go-karts.” [Pause] Those words were a mistake. [Bridge - frantic double-time punk] TC pulls up beside me, That look says this is war. Jex is already three-wide And Jewpool’s yelling, “MORE!” Kira cuts the inside, Nova’s laughing through the turn, Kaelith’s gaining from behind us— And something back there might actually burn! Psycho’s screaming! Synnerette’s flying! Nobody’s touching the goddamn brakes! And Jex throws both hands up celebrating— [Everything cuts] [Shouted] WE’RE ON LAP THREE! [Half-beat silence] [Breakdown Count] THREE! TWO! ONE! [Spoken] Floor it. [Final Chorus - maximum intensity, punk riff + carnival melody] WE GOT ONE NIGHT! SO BURN IT BRIGHT! Throw our shadows through the carnival lights! Ride too fast! Laugh too loud! Nine disasters in a single crowd! And when tomorrow comes around, With empty wallets and our voices blown out, I’ll swear to God— [Spoken] “Never again.” [Brief pause] Then somebody says next weekend— [Shouted] YEAH, COUNT ME IN! [Final Chorus - faster] We got one life, One stupid night, Ferris wheel burning against the skyline! Friends like these Make trouble feel Like the only damn thing tonight that’s real! No map! No plan! No getting us out! Hands in the air when the whole ride drops! WHOA-OH! Turn it up! WHOA-OH! Here we go! WELCOME TO ADMISSION TO CHAOS! [Messy band ending] [Outro - carnival ambience returns] [Spoken - exhausted, amused] Jex... where’d you get that giant stuffed octopus? [Pause] No. I’m not asking. Keep walking. [Single detuned calliope phrase] [Distant ride bell] [Hard cut]
