[INTRO — distant music box, heartbeat, camera shutter] Smile for the camera… (laugh) Show me your teeth… Aghhhhhhhhhhhhh— I CAN’T WAKE UP!!! Nothing real… Nothing real… Nothing— [VERSE 1 — quiet, gothic, predatory] There’s a face behind the mirror, Pale as moonlight, soaked in red. Every time I close my eyes, It whispers something in my head. Two little points beneath the smile, A crimson stain across the lips. Something beautiful is dying Every time the nightmare slips. The room is getting colder, But I feel something breathing near. A shadow crawls across my shoulder, Whispering— “You’ll stay here.” [PRE-CHORUS — building] Don’t look at me… Don’t smile at me… I see the hunger in your eyes. Your teeth are showing… Something’s growing… Something wearing my disguise. [CHORUS — explosive] SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! (laugh) SHOW ME YOUR TEETH! Come a little closer, Let me feel you breathe! SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! BLOOD UPON THE LENS! I CAN’T WAKE UP! I CAN’T WAKE UP! I CAN’T— BEGIN AGAIN! [VERSE 2 — darker] I saw the stage lights flicker, Then the room went deathly still. One figure stood beneath the spotlight, Like a shadow waiting for the kill. Nobody moved to stop it. Nobody could make a sound. The smile on every frozen face Was the only thing around. The curtains turned to crimson, The applause became a roar. And something wearing someone’s body Started crawling through the door. I ran into the hallway, But the hallway wasn’t there. Just endless rows of photographs With smiling faces everywhere. [PRE-BREAKDOWN — whispers multiplying] Look at me… Look at me… LOOK AT ME. Why are you smiling? Why are you smiling? WHY ARE YOU SMILING?! [BREAKDOWN — violent] RIP THE MIRROR! BREAK THE GLASS! LET THE NIGHTMARE THROUGH AT LAST! I SEE YOUR FANGS! I SEE YOUR FACE! YOU’VE BEEN HIDING IN THIS PLACE! SMILE!!! SMILE!!! SMILE!!! (laughing uncontrollably) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA— [HEAVY DROP] I’M NOT AFRAID OF YOU ANYMORE!!! [CHORUS — completely unhinged] SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! BLOOD ACROSS THE FRAME! EVERY TIME I TRY TO RUN, YOU CALL ME BY MY NAME! SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! LET THE WHOLE HOUSE BURN! FEED THE FLAME! FEED THE NIGHT! LET THE CURSE RETURN! [BRIDGE — sudden silence] … Wait. Why is nobody screaming? Why can’t I hear the fire? Why… am I still smiling? [whisper] I didn’t do that. [ANGELIC RELEASE — beautiful, haunting choir] Close your eyes… The night is almost over… Lay your head down… Let the darkness hold you closer… You don’t have to run now… You don’t have to fight… Let the blood wash over you… Let the monster leave your mind… Breathe in… Breathe out… You’re finally free… [beat of silence] Release… [angelic voice turns subtly unnatural] You’ve been possessed. [POSSESSION — instruments erupt] HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! [FINAL VERSE — possessed, vampiric] The house is burning behind me, Red flames against the night. Every window holds a smiling face, Every face is holding mine. The photographs are bleeding, The portraits bare their teeth. Something ancient woke beneath me And it doesn’t want to leave. I taste the smoke upon my tongue, I feel the darkness in my veins. The moon is staring through the roof Like it knows me by my name. The fire climbs around me— And I don’t feel a thing. I just keep smiling… Like some beautiful undead thing. [FINAL CHORUS — massive cinematic metal] SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! ONE LAST TIME FOR ME! SHOW ME ALL YOUR FANGS, SO I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE! SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES! WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT— THE DEAD DON’T SAY GOODBYE! SMILE!!! SMILE!!! SMILE!!! [FINAL COLLAPSE] I CAN’T WAKE UP!!! I CAN’T WAKE UP!!! I CAN’T— [everything cuts] … Nothing real. [soft breathing] Nothing real… [one final camera shutter] (laugh) [FINAL SCREAM] AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
