THE TOMORROWLINE

[blackout] [distorted PA] Tomorrowline service suspended. Remain where you are. Await further instruction. [Lucien, spoken] No. [bass hits] Get on the Tomorrowline! No sleep, no warning sign Red lights behind us Blue fire in front of mine Get on the Tomorrowline! One way, no borrowed time They told us stay frozen I told them— MOVE WHEN I MOVE! [crowd] MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! WE LEAVE TONIGHT! [verse] Came through the east tunnel quarter past three Station full of people staring holes through a screen Every board said DELAYED every speaker said WAIT Every uniform disappeared through a maintenance gate Kid with a red bag asked “Is somebody in charge?” Old man by the platform said— “Not anymore. Not here.” Control room locked Glass cracked Operator gone Last transmission looping since the first alarm [PA] Remain calm Stand clear Do not cross the line [Lucien] But smoke rolled in— AND THE CEILING LIGHTS DIED! Found a transit map underneath the console frame Half the routes scratched out one line without a name Lower Chapel Arcade district Flooded glassworks Northern exit They called it— TOMORROWLINE. Built but never shown A hidden road for the people they called their own I looked at the crowd then the locked control door Said— THEY KEPT ONE ROAD OPEN WE'RE NOT WAITING ANYMORE! NO PERMISSION! [crowd] NO PERMISSION! NO REPLY! NO REPLY! When the last signal fails— YOU CHOOSE WHO SURVIVES! GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! No sleep, no warning sign Red lights behind us Blue fire in front of mine GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! One way, no borrowed time They told us stay frozen I TOLD THEM— MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! WE LEAVE TONIGHT! [half-time] I split the room in sections NORTH STAIR! SOUTH RAIL! Strong arms by the doorway Keep a path for the frail Count every child twice Check the tunnels for heat No heroes in the speeches No time for a crown Leadership is knowing— WHO YOU REFUSE TO LEAVE DOWN! Found the backup current Cut the ceremonial light Fed the whole remaining grid to the track beneath our feet [radio] Unauthorized access. Return control to us. [Lucien] Control never left you. YOU ABANDONED THE FLOOR. Now the people you ignored— AREN'T WAITING FOR ORDERS ANYMORE! [static] Train lights rose like two cold stars in the dark Doors pulled wide No conductor inside One dead screen flashing— CHOOSE THE LINE. GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! No sleep, no warning sign Red lights behind us Blue fire in front of mine GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! One way, no borrowed time MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! WE LEAVE TONIGHT! [spoken] I used to stand at the back and study the room Then I crossed every road they said would set me free Then I saw the game behind the prize Now the lights are dead And everybody is looking at me. Fine. FOLLOW ME. First car packed Second car sealed Third car carrying medicine stolen from the field Fourth held the records Fifth held the names Sixth held the people they deleted from the frame Woman with the ticket said— “How do you know this train goes where you think it can?” I said— I DON'T. BUT I KNOW WHAT STAYS BEHIND. And sometimes that's enough to make a future from a line. [alarms] Platform doors buckled Prize district went black Control shouted— LAST WARNING! STOP THE TRAIN! [band cut] I put my hand on the lever. Remember my name. [full band] GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! [crowd] TOMORROWLINE! NO SLEEP! NO WARNING SIGN! Red lights behind us! BLUE FIRE IN FRONT OF MINE! GET ON THE TOMORROWLINE! One way! No borrowed time! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! MOVE WHEN I MOVE! WE LEAVE TONIGHT! [Lucien] WHO MOVES?! [crowd] WE MOVE! WHO GETS LEFT?! NO ONE! WHO GETS LEFT?! NO ONE! TOMORROWLINE! TOMORROWLINE! TOMORROWLINE! [false ending] [damaged PA] Remain where you are. [Lucien] Too late. WE ALREADY LEFT.