Paper heart

Intro (Spoken – soft, whispery) Click… Breath… I’m walking again… The walls… they’re breathing, aren’t they? Echoes… they answer back. Verse 1 I pace in corners, count the cracks in the ceiling The sky feels borrowed, but I pretend it’s real I whisper to shadows “Do I belong?” They shrug I shrug I keep walking Pre-Chorus Heartbeat like a drum I can’t hear I try to catch it but it disappears If I fall apart at the seams tonight I’ll patch it with a line or a lie Chorus Oh-oh, echoes in the maze Running in circles, can’t escape Flashing lights, I’m awake Building towers from the breaks I make Oh-oh, pieces of me Laughing loud so I breathe I’m alive even when it’s hard Holding fragments in a paper heart (Backing vocals: “Oh-oh, echoes of me…”) Verse 2 (Rap) Anxiety in my pocket, counting walls Breach of thought, I stumble and fall I overthink, underthink, don’t think at all Tripping on the edges of every call I wear the mask, then it masks me back Clancy whispers… I feel him crack Bridge 1 (Echoing reverb, slowed synth, faint whispers) I hide in songs that nobody hears Carry my fears through the years If hope is a battle, I’m bruised but I fight (Whispers) “Step lightly… the city’s listening…” “The walls remember your name…” “Do not look behind you… or do…” (Half-time beat) I’m scared but moving I’m scared but moving Chorus (Double Energy) Oh-oh, echoes in the maze Running in circles, can’t escape Flashing lights, I’m awake Building towers from the breaks I make Oh-oh, pieces of me Laughing loud so I breathe I’m alive even when it’s hard Holding fragments in a paper heart Bridge 2 (Spoken / Whispered) The city hums, the lights flicker Breach whispers, “Thicker than fear…” Clancy hums in corners I hear footsteps that aren’t mine Sometimes I forget to breathe Sometimes I forget to leave Sometimes I wear my mask too long But Clancy… he hums my song He’s always behind the walls I think Final Chorus Oh-oh, echoes in the maze Breaking, building, endlessly Flashing lights, awake again Every scar a pen in my hand Oh-oh, pieces of me Laughing, rapping, whispering free I’m alive even when it’s hard Holding fragments in a paper heart Outro (Whispered / Ambient) Click… Breath… I’m still here Clancy is too The walls move… or maybe it’s me I step lightly… but I still hear him Counting with me