Broken Laughing (Hers)

[DJ Cold Open] [A lonely music box begins. Laughter overlaps throughout. Distant echoes surround the listener.] (Deep laughter echoes) Heh… Heh-heh… Ha… Ha-ha… DJ Brazen… You hear that…? (No…) Listen closer… (laughing in the distance) (One laugh becomes many) ⸻ [Verse 1] [Soft laughter overlaps all lyrics. It feels playful.] Everybody’s smiling… (heh-heh…) Nobody knows why… (Ha-ha…) Cards up… Lights down… Watch the whole room… (Turn around…) One joke… (heh-heh) Two grins… That’s exactly, Where it begins… (Mmm-hmm...) Smile a little… (Stay awhile) Funny how denial, Comes with style… (heh-heh) Hear that whisper? (Hear that grin?) Maybe all the noise, Is coming from within? (It always was…) ⸻ [Pre-Chorus] [The unseen voice begins answering. Overlapping laughter grows closer with every line.] Who’s laughing now? (Ha-ha…) Who’s keeping score? (You are…) Who’s knocking… (bang bang) At your door? (Me…) Who’s smiling wide… (Ha-ha…) While the floor gives way? (Watch it…) Who’s still pretending, It’s just another day? (you…) ⸻ [Chorus] [Manic laughter overlaps all lyrics. The unseen voice begins taking control.] Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… Can’t stop laughing… Spin it back… Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… DJ Brazen, Laugh it back… Everybody… Lose… Your… Mind… We’re laughing… (Ha-ha…) Ha-ha! I said… Are we laughing?! (You never stopped…) Who’s… Laughing?! (HAHAHAHAHAHA) HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Ha… Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… ⸻ [Verse 2] [Laughter overlaps all lyrics. The voices begin finishing each other’s thoughts.] Shuffle the deck… (Heh-heh) Cut the light… (Oops…) Every bad decision… Felt so right… (Heh-heh-heh) Smile wider… (Hide the insane…) Everybody here… Already knows the game… (…We do) Heh… (Heh…) One more spin… (One more turn…) One more lie… (Yessss…) Watch them all still ask… “Why… so SERIOUS!?” (Why… so SERIOUS!?) Because… (Because…) Every mirror… (Looks at you…) Every stranger… (Knows your name…) Who’s pretending? (You are…) Who’s awake? (I Am!?) How much laughter… Can one mind take? (All of it…) ⸻ [Bridge] [The two voices begin merging. The listener should no longer be sure who is speaking.] Heh… (Heh…) Can you hear it? (I can…) Ha… (Ha-ha) Closer now… (Closer…) Heh-heh… (Heh-heh…) Every smile… (Is yours…) Every stare… (Is mine…) HAHA… (HAHA) It’s already… In the air… Every echo… Sounds like mine… (Doesn’t it?) Every heartbeat... Keeps perfect time... (Ba-dum...) (Ba-dum...) Tell me… Did the joke change… Or did you? (I know…) No one’s laughing… (Not anymore…) It’s just… (Us…) Us… (long silence) (single laugh) ⸻ [Final Chorus] [Overwhelming laughter overlaps all lyrics. Both voices become one.] Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… Can’t stop laughing… Spin it back… Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… DJ Brazen, Laugh the track… Still laughing… (Ha-ha…) Ha-ha! I said... (You did...) Are we still laughing!? (Always...) Who's... (WE ARE.) Still laughing?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Sounds like Everybody’s laughing… (Now you know why…) Ha… Ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha… (crowd laughter grows) (Group laughing) (maniacal laughter) (every laugh overlaps) ⸻ [Outro] [Fading laughter overlaps the final words until silence.] The laughter fades… (Does it…?) One voice remains… (Just one…?) Heh… See… You… Next… Set… (small chuckle) (Ha…) Silence.