[INTRO — heartbeat sub; close-mic inhale moving left to right] In— [breath abruptly gated] Out— [reversed inhale snaps backward] Again? [VERSE 1 — dry vocal; kick lands between phrases] Pissed off at breathing, tired of bleeding— while everyone keeps leaving before they understand the feeling. They love the light but never ask what had to burn. They watch the mouth move, then disappear before the words. Every “Are you okay?” comes dressed for the occasion— but nobody stays for the honest explanation. [PRE-CHORUS — tempo seems to slow; breaths become percussion] Breathe in— CHOKE. Breathe out— BREAK. Another borrowed morning I was never meant to waste. Breathe in— HOLD. Breathe out— WAIT. If living is a rhythm, why’s my heart always late? [CHORUS — guitars and distorted bass detonate] I’M PISSED OFF AT BREATHING— BUT I’M STILL TAKING AIR! TIRED OF FUCKING BLEEDING FOR THE ONES WHO WEREN’T THERE! Everybody keeps leaving before they understand the feeling— So I stitched my lungs to the kick drum: BEAT—BREATH! BEAT—BREATH! I’m still fucking here! [POST-CHORUS — stuttering vocal chop] Still—still—still—still— HERE. [VERSE 2 — half-time boom bap; detuned piano] You called me overwhelming while I drowned beneath the quiet. Called the smoke a problem— never asked who lit the fire. I kept carving little doorways through the marrow of the night, but every exit wore the face of someone waving me goodbye. Now abandonment’s a language I can recognize by breathing— that tiny hesitation right before somebody’s leaving. [PRE-CHORUS — whispered doubles circle the lead] Breathe in— LIAR. Breathe out— ACHE. How many empty promises can one rib cage take? Breathe in— ANGER. Breathe out— FLAME. If nobody will hear me, I’ll make the silence say my name. [CHORUS — higher harmony answers every lead] I’M PISSED OFF AT BREATHING— BUT I’M STILL TAKING AIR! TIRED OF FUCKING BLEEDING FOR THE ONES WHO WEREN’T THERE! Everybody keeps leaving before they understand the feeling— So I stitched my lungs to the kick drum: BEAT—BREATH! BEAT—BREATH! I’m still fucking here! [BRIDGE — all instruments cut; one trembling vocal] Maybe I don’t need another mouth saying, “Believe me.” Maybe I need one pair of hands that doesn’t drop me when I’m heavy. Maybe breathing isn’t peace. Maybe breathing is rebellion. [inhale stretches and transforms into a distorted synth riser] Maybe every breath I hated was my body fucking yelling— NOT YET. [FINAL DROP — double-time drums; octave vocal stack] I’M PISSED OFF AT BREATHING— SO I’LL BREATHE AGAINST THE GRAVE! LET THE PRESSURE HIT MY CHEST— I’LL TURN THE PANIC INTO BASS! Everybody kept leaving before they understood the feeling— Now the feeling has a frequency, and the frequency is screaming: BEAT—BREATH! TEETH—CHEST! BLOOD—NO REST! I’m not healed— I’m not fearless— I’M STILL HERE, AND THAT’S THE THREAT. [OUTRO — full inhale; everything drops away] Pissed off at breathing… [clean, unprocessed voice] But I haven’t finished yet.
