[Intro] [Verse] We counted every heartbeat While the sirens ate the sky A thousand hands against the iron And a thousand reasons why I remember who was standing Where the shadows met the light I remember turning toward you When you told me, "Lock it tight" [Pre-Chorus] We said the walls would save us We said there was no choice But every time the silence falls I hear another voice [Chorus] THE ONES WE LEFT BEHIND! Still breathing in the walls of my mind We built our lives upon that night And buried all the reasons why WE CLOSED THE GATE! Was it mercy? Was it fear? If we were wrong, why are we here? The ones we left behind Are the ones I cannot leave behind [Verse] We painted over warnings Till the writing disappeared We learned to call it courage What we couldn't call our fear We set a place for heroes At a table built on shame And every year we gather But we never speak their names Then whispers crossed the courtyard Of a way we hadn't tried No proof beneath the rubble Just a doubt we couldn't hide [Pre-Chorus] Was there another answer? Was there another door? We search the dust for evidence And find ourselves once more [Chorus] THE ONES WE LEFT BEHIND! Still breathing in the walls of my mind We built our lives upon that night And buried all the reasons why WE CLOSED THE GATE! Was it mercy? Was it fear? If we were wrong, why are we here? The ones we left behind Are the ones I cannot leave behind [Bridge] Sometimes I dream the gate is open And nobody is there No footsteps in the ashes No voices in the air Sometimes I dream they're waiting Exactly where we stood And I try to say I'm sorry But I don't know if I should Because sorry needs an answer And the answer never came Only rust upon the hinges And the weight of every name [Build-up] If there was another way Why can't we find it? If there was no other way Why can't I believe it? IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY! IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY! [Breakdown] LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE! LEFT ON THE OTHER SIDE! NO VERDICT! NO REPRIEVE! WE LIVED! THEY DIED! AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY! [Chorus] THE ONES WE LEFT BEHIND! Still breathing in the walls of my mind We built our lives upon that night And buried all the reasons why WE CLOSED THE GATE! Was it mercy? Was it fear? If we were wrong, why are we here? The ones we left behind Are the ones I cannot leave behind [Outro] No answer in the silence No witness in the rain No way to know what happened No way to close the gate
