[Intro – whispered, distant thunder] October thirty-first… A thousand miles from home. One truck. One road. And Death… alone. [Verse 1] The highway stretched through endless night, The rain came down, the fog rolled in. No other headlights, no town in sight, Just wipers screaming through the din. Then by the road, a small light glowed, A hooded man stood in the rain. Black clothes, a scythe, a face unknown. "Get in, you freak! But leave that blade! I've seen some costumes, I'll admit, But no damn scythe inside my rig!" Too late. The stranger took his seat. "Just stop sometimes. I'll pay your fee." [Chorus] RIDE THROUGH THE RAIN, RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT, THE DEAD WALK BESIDE YOU IN PALE HEADLIGHTS. MILES DISAPPEAR, THE COLD WINDS CRY, YOU CAN RUN FROM THE DARK, BUT YOU CAN'T PASS IT BY. RIDE THROUGH THE STORM, WHERE THE LOST ROADS END, TONIGHT YOU'RE DRIVING WITH DEATH, MY FRIEND. [Verse 2] They reached a wreck where the flames burned high, Twisted cars beneath a blood-red sky. Death took his scythe and left the cab, And ran through the wreckage, silent and black. He returned and closed the door. "No more stops. They're all here. That's all." The driver laughed. "So where you bound, You Halloween clown, when we reach my town?" Death turned his hood toward the glass. "Your home." The driver laughed again. "Well, that's a hell of a joke, my friend!" [Chorus] RIDE THROUGH THE RAIN, RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT, THE DEAD WALK BESIDE YOU IN PALE HEADLIGHTS. MILES DISAPPEAR, THE COLD WINDS CRY, YOU CAN RUN FROM THE DARK, BUT YOU CAN'T PASS IT BY. [Verse 3 – building tension] The storm died down. The air smelled burned. A distant orange glow appeared. He knew the road. His stomach turned. His home was burning. His worst fear. He jumped from the truck and ran through the smoke. "My wife! My children! Please, God, no!" A firefighter grabbed him, holding him tight. "It's too late, sir. They're gone tonight." He fell to his knees beneath the rain, His whole world swallowed by fire and pain. [Breakdown – whispered, slow] The seat was empty. The hood was gone. No silver scythe. No footsteps on. Just a black envelope Where Death had sat. A bundle of money. A card on top. [Final Verse – spoken, mournful] He opened the card with trembling hands. Two lines of ink. No explanation. "I'm truly sorry. There was nothing I could do. But you still have a lot of time… So spend your money." [Final Chorus – slow, crushing] RIDE THROUGH THE RAIN… THE ROAD GOES ON… THE HOUSE IS ASHES. THE LOVED ONES GONE. DEATH TOOK THEM ALL, BUT LEFT YOU ALIVE… WITH ALL THAT MONEY… AND NO REASON WHY. [Outro – distant engine, fading thunder] October thirty-first… One truck on an endless road. One empty seat. One black envelope. [Whispered] Happy Halloween.
