When Nobody’s Listening

[INTRO — soft store ambience, whimsical synth pulse] [SKELETON — theatrical, slightly raspy] Another night. [WITCH — playful, warm] Another night. [GHOST — airy, goofy] Another night. [CAT — calm, whimsical] Still here. [PAUSE] [SKELETON] You know, I think we're the only ones awake. [WITCH] We're always awake. [GHOST] We're decorations. [CAT] That doesn't mean we're asleep. [VERSE 1 — SKELETON] Every day they walk right past Push my button, hear me laugh I say the same thing every night Then they walk away beneath the lights [WITCH] They never stop to wonder why I'm always standing way up high They hear my laugh, they see my broom Then disappear around the room [GHOST] Nobody asks where we go When the store gets quiet and the lights get low [CAT] Nobody asks anything. [SKELETON] Do you know how long we've been here? [WITCH] Since August. [GHOST] August. [CAT] Way too long. [VERSE 2 — ensemble interplay] [SKELETON] I've seen the shelves get rearranged. [WITCH] I've seen the decorations change. [GHOST] I've watched the seasons come and go. [CAT] I've watched that same pallet sit below. [WITCH — laughing] You really do watch everything. [CAT] I have excellent vision. [SKELETON] You're a cardboard cat. [CAT] Still. [PRE-CHORUS — voices begin weaving together] [GHOST] But when the lights get lower... [WITCH] And nobody's around... [SKELETON] That's when we start talking... [CAT] That's when we make a sound. [CHORUS — full ensemble] When nobody's listening We can sing When nobody's watching We can move We don't need a button We don't need a cue We know what we're supposed to do When nobody's listening We come alive When nobody's watching We can finally be ourselves All night in the Halloween aisle We're more than decorations on a shelf [POST-CHORUS — playful character harmonies] [SKELETON] Ha-ha-ha! [WITCH] Hee-hee-hee! [GHOST] Ooooooh! [CAT] Meow. [ALL] That's better. [VERSE 3 — more character interaction] [WITCH] Do you ever get tired of saying the same thing? [SKELETON] Every single night. [GHOST] I don't even know what my recording says anymore. [CAT] Mine says chicken. [WITCH] Of course it does. [CAT] I don't choose the script. [SKELETON] What would you say if you could choose? [CAT — thoughtful] I'd say... [PAUSE] Hello. [WITCH — softer] That's it? [CAT] Maybe. [CHORUS — softer, then building] When nobody's listening We can sing When nobody's watching We can move Maybe we're just cardboard Maybe we're just lights Maybe we're just something They put out for Halloween night But when the store gets quiet And the aisle belongs to us We don't need to wonder If we're real enough [BRIDGE — magical, intimate] [GHOST] Do you think they'll ever find out? [WITCH] Find out what? [GHOST] That we can hear each other. [SKELETON] They'd probably think we're broken. [CAT] We're not broken. [WITCH] Then what are we? [CAT] Friends. [Brief silence] [SKELETON — amused] That's surprisingly sweet for a cat. [CAT] Don't tell anybody. [FINAL CHORUS — full ensemble] When nobody's listening We can sing When nobody's watching We can move We don't need a button We don't need a cue We can make our own music too When nobody's listening We come alive When nobody's watching We can finally be ourselves All night in the Halloween aisle We're more than decorations on a shelf [OUTRO — music fades into quiet store ambience] [SKELETON — suddenly whispering] Shh. Someone's coming. [WITCH — whispering] Who? [GHOST — whispering] Oh... It's Steve. [CAT — whispering urgently] Quiet, everyone. [ALL DECORATIONS — immediate silence] [FOOTSTEPS PASS] [PAUSE] [SKELETON — barely audible whisper] ...He's gone. [WITCH — whispering] That was close. [GHOST — whispering] Same time tomorrow? [CAT — whispering] Tomorrow. [Final tiny synth note]