Which One Of Us… Was Singing?

[INTRO — THE CORE] (distant thunder, tape hiss, slow piano) There’s somebody breathing Inside my head again… She keeps moving furniture Inside my memories… Doctor says my name softly Like it still belongs to me But every mirror in this house Keeps changing what I see… (whispering begins underneath) not alone… not alone… not alone… ⸻ [PERSONALITY #1 — GANGSTER RAP] (bass slams in hard) Hold up — move aside, little crybaby I’m the one that kept us alive lately Steel-toe thoughts and a cold black heart Ain’t nobody touch us, tear ‘em apart Talkin’ ‘bout trauma, talkin’ ‘bout pain I built an empire inside this brain They all weak — I’m the lock on the cage I brought fire when the world brought rage (other voices whispering “liar… liar…”) Nah shut up All of y’all ghosts in the attic I’m the only real one Rest of y’all just static ⸻ [PERSONALITY #2 — HEAVY METAL] (guitars explode in) STATIC IN MY SKULL LIGHTNING IN MY VEINS I WANNA RIP THE WALLS APART JUST TO SILENCE ALL THE NAMES I HEAR YOU SCRATCHING UNDERNEATH MY SKIN EVERY TIME I LOCK YOU OUT YOU CLAW YOUR WAY BACK IN (metal scream) WHO’S DRIVING THIS BODY NOW?! (gangster voice interrupts) “Me.” (guitar stop — silence — laugh) ⸻ [PERSONALITY #3 — 1950’s SWEETHEART] (vinyl pop, cheerful doo-wop) Oh dear… why’s everybody yelling? You’ll ruin all the party fun I baked a little cherry pie For everyone to have some! (sweet harmonies) Sha-la-la, smile pretty Nothing’s wrong tonight Just ignore the screaming voices Everything’s alright… (faint screaming buried in background) Momma says good girls don’t panic Good girls keep the table clean Good girls never talk about The ugly things they’ve seen… (record begins slowing unnaturally) ⸻ [PERSONALITY #4 — SULTRY EXOTIC] (slow hypnotic percussion) Come closer… You’re trembling again… Why fight the darkness, darling When it wears your face so well? I can make the others quiet I can make the fear behave All you have to do… Is let me take the stage… (seductive layered whispers) give me the body… give me the body… ⸻ [BREAKDOWN — ALL PERSONALITIES] (all genres begin colliding) GANGSTER: I built this kingdom! METAL: BURN IT TO THE GROUND! 1950’s: Sha-la-la everything’s fine! SULTRY: You belong to me now… CORE PERSONALITY: PLEASE STOP TALKING!! (massive orchestral-metal-rap collision) Every voice is getting louder Every face is wearing mine Every memory is breaking Like shattered glass inside WHO AM I WHEN EVERYBODY’S SCREAMING?! ⸻ [ENDING] (music cuts out entirely — faint tape hiss) …doctor? (long silence) Which one of us… was singing?