[INTRO — sparse, strange, whispered over an uneasy pulse] Before the masks, before the candy, before the plastic skeletons hung from trees, there were fires on the hills and shadows at the edge of the harvest. Summer died. Winter waited. And for one night... the door between them didn't close all the way. [VERSE 1 — restrained, experimental] Old flames burn where the cold wind crawls, faces disappear behind borrowed forms, leave something out for whatever comes, keep your head down when the dead walk home. Years roll forward, the old ways bend, ritual turns into make-believe again, lanterns glow and the children grin— but something old came walking with them. [CHORUS — groove strengthens] Porch light flickers, October air, little masked faces everywhere, laugh if you want, say nothing's there— but something keeps moving when nobody's there. Knock, knock, knock, then nobody speaks. Footsteps stop at the edge of the street. Halloween came dressed up sweet— but underneath... it still has teeth. [VERSE 2 — darker, horrorcore beginning to emerge] Now every lawn's got a hanging man, rubber bones and a severed hand, fake blood dripping from a garbage can— at least... that's what the neighbors understand. That scarecrow hasn't moved all week, but yesterday it faced the street. The body hanging from number three looks heavier than decorations should be. Nobody asks. Nobody checks. Halloween makes a good excuse for what's hanging from your neck. [BUILD — drums heavier, vocal lower] Candy bowl empty. Front door wide. Something wet on the welcome sign. Plastic knife? Maybe. Fake blood? Probably. Funny how everybody believes whatever makes it easier to sleep. [CHORUS — aggressive] Porch light flickers, October air, little masked faces everywhere, laugh if you want, say nothing's there— but something keeps breathing inside that chair. Knock, knock, knock. Don't answer yet. There's mud on the porch and the footprints are wet. Halloween came dressed up sweet— but underneath... it still has teeth. [VERSE 3 — full dread / horrorcore] Now the street goes quiet. No kids. No cars. Just orange lights and decorated yards. One house never took theirs down. November came. They're still hanging around. Nobody knows where the old man went. Nobody knows what that smell might be. Everybody thought the bodies were props... because Halloween taught them exactly what to see. [BREAKDOWN — slow, crushing] Maybe the decorations weren't decorations. Maybe the screaming wasn't celebration. Maybe that mask wasn't hiding a face. Maybe the thing in the yard... was never fake. [FINAL CHORUS — darkest point] Porch light dead. October gone. Something's still standing out on the lawn. No mask. No joke. No trick. No treat. Just one set of footprints crossing the street. Knock... knock... knock... Don't make a sound. Halloween ended. It's still around. [OUTRO — stripped back, whispered] Before the masks... before the candy... we were afraid of the dark for a reason.
