[NDC] CHEAPER THAN WHAT?

[Spoken Intro – Marlow, very close mic, tired, almost dry laugh] “…yeah… cheaper… right… just… tell me where…” [small room tone, fridge hum, distant traffic] ⸻ [Verse 1 – soft, restrained, clean guitar, minimal] Receipts laid out like evidence Same store, same price, different names I walked the aisles like I missed a sign Like cheaper’s hiding in a different lane Milk went up, bread got thin Cut the heat, keep the kids in Count it twice, still don’t fit There’s nothing left to trim from this ⸻ [Chorus – builds slightly, but held back, tension stays] Cheaper than what? Tell me where to go I’ve been doing this longer than you know Cheaper than what? I already tried Every corner cut still comes out the same side ⸻ [Verse 2 – bass enters, low hum, more weight] Tried that shop by the outer road Lights too bright, shelves half bare Same damn numbers in a different font Same cold air, same quiet stare Said “just plan it better next time” Like time’s something I can buy Like I didn’t sit here half the night Trying to make it multiply ⸻ [Chorus – slightly stronger, Marlow pushing, cracks allowed] Cheaper than what? Say it out loud Say it slow enough to hear it now Cheaper than what? I’m already low You can’t cut a line that’s down to bone ⸻ [Bridge – almost spoken, fragile, uncomfortable pause] I checked it twice… three times… I even skipped a meal to see if that would help… [long pause, faint room noise] …it didn’t. ⸻ [Final Chorus – restrained release, no big explosion] Cheaper than what? Don’t look away You can say the words but they don’t stay Cheaper than what? Just say it once So I can stop looking for it…