[Intro — barely whispered] Everyone's sleeping. The doors are closed. The lights are low. Nothing's wrong. So why am I still holding my breath? [Verse 1] Sometimes late at night When the whole damn house goes still, I lie awake beneath the blankets Listening against my will. For footsteps that aren't coming, For a voice that isn't there, For the silence to explode And put that thunder in the air. Everybody that I love Is dreaming safely down the hall, But somewhere underneath my ribs I'm still waiting for it all— [Pre-Chorus] To break. To scream. To turn into the nights I knew. The storm is gone, But some part of me Still thinks it's coming through. [Chorus] WHEN THE HOUSE GOES QUIET I'm still bracing for the sound, Black wings halfway open Like the sky is coming down. And that frightened little voice says, “Disappear and they'll be safe. Make yourself smaller, Littlebird, Before the thunder wakes.” But nothing's breaking. Nobody's screaming. There's only moonlight on the floor. The storm isn't coming through that door anymore. [Verse 2] I learned to read a room Before I learned to rest inside one, Learned the weight of every silence, Which kind meant that I should run. Learned how little I could become, How softly I could breathe, Like maybe if I vanished Peace would finally stay with me. And God, those lessons linger Long after danger disappears, So sometimes safety feels suspicious When you've memorized the fear. [Pre-Chorus] So I listen. Not backward. Not for ghosts inside the walls. I listen to the breathing Of the people down the hall. [Chorus] WHEN THE HOUSE GOES QUIET I'm still bracing for the sound, Black wings halfway open Like the sky is coming down. And that frightened little voice says, “Disappear and they'll be safe. Make yourself smaller, Littlebird, Before the thunder wakes.” But nothing's breaking. Nobody's screaming. There's only moonlight on the floor. The storm isn't coming through that door anymore. [Bridge — voice + trembling violin] Listen, Littlebird. The refrigerator hums. The old house settles. Someone turns over in their sleep. That's all. No thunder hiding underneath it. No warning buried in the quiet. No one you love needs you to vanish tonight. So breathe. Just breathe. You don't have to disappear to make this house peaceful. Peace is already here. [Violin Solo — fragile, then slowly opening] [Final Chorus — huge soaring vocal] WHEN THE HOUSE GOES QUIET I'M LEARNING NOT TO FEAR THE SOUND OF ABSOLUTELY NOTHING COMING TO TEAR THIS MOMENT DOWN! These wings don't have to shield me! These hands don't have to fight! I don't have to make myself invisible To keep the ones I love alright! Nothing's breaking! Nobody's screaming! Nobody needs me gone! There's just a quiet house Still standing before dawn. And maybe healing isn't never Feeling that old fear again— Maybe it's catching myself bracing... And whispering, “Not tonight. I'm safe enough to breathe again.” [Outro — lone violin, soft breathing] The house is quiet. Everyone's sleeping. I'm still here. I'm taking up space. And slowly... inhale exhale I let my wings come down. The storm isn't coming through that door anymore.
