Keeping Pace

[Verse 1] Light falls wrong across the day Too late for dawn, too soon to fade Voices speak like they’ve rehearsed Every word already said Clock hands drag across the wall Tick by tick, it pins it all I remember how to sign my name But not the shape of what I am [Pre-Chorus] Something moved before I turned Something watched before I learned [Chorus] Not ahead, not behind Just a shadow in line Keeping pace with my breath Like it’s counting what’s left In the glass, in the sky In the space I can’t find Every step, every place Something’s keeping pace [Verse 2] Elevator pulls me down Floor by floor without a sound Red light flickers, steady glow Feels like somewhere I don’t know Faces blur and voices blend Start to speak and never end There’s a man who looks too clear Says it like I’m meant to hear “They’ll resolve it.” Soft and clean Like he’s said it in between [Pre-Chorus] Something waits inside the frame Like it already knows my name [Chorus] Not ahead, not behind Just a shadow in line Keeping pace with my breath Like it’s counting what’s left In the glass, in the sky In the space I can’t find Every step, every place Something’s keeping pace [Bridge] (slightly more ethereal, layered vocals) Thirty eyes and none of them blink All at once they turn to me Not a sound but I can feel Every wing remembers me Not a chase, not a guide Just aligned at my side If I stop, would they wait Or decide it’s too late [Final Chorus – lifted, fuller beat] Not ahead, not behind Now they move when I move mine Every breath, every step Like they’re guarding what’s left In the heat, in the haze In the loops of these days I don’t know what it means… But they’re keeping pace [Outro – stripped, almost whispered] Not ahead… not behind… Just a shadow… in line…