“Do you ever feel like you’re not real?” Every breath feels borrowed, every wound won’t heal. “I don’t think you can keep pretendin’ everything’s fine.” Pretendin’ is religion — I built God outta lies. “If you disappear, just know it wasn’t their fault.” If I vanish, just carve my epitaph in asphalt. “The silence is gettin’ too loud tonight.” Then let it scream — I’m the choir, I’m the blight. “Promise me you won’t forget me.” Forget you? You carved your name in me. “Do you think dreams mean anything, or just warnings?” They’re tombstones with dates scratched out in the morning. “There’s somethin’ wrong with the mirror, can’t you see?” It smiles before I do, mocks the ghost of me. “I don’t wanna wake up tomorrow.” Sleep’s a coffin — I’m just rehearsin’ sorrow. “Stop movin’. It can see you.” Good — maybe it’ll kill me before I do. “Your reflection blinked before you did.” So what? I been dead since I was a kid. “You locked the door, right? …Right?” No doors in my head, just locks too tight. “She’s standin’ right next to you.” Then tell her I love her — even if she ain’t true. “I counted five footsteps, but there are only two of us here.” That’s the echo of my heart draggin’ chains of fear. “It whispered your name from the closet again.” Then shut it! Shut it! Or I’ll tear it open! “It said it likes your voice best when you cry…” Then record this madness, let the tape rewind. “You weren’t supposed to answer yet.” But you keep askin’ — I’m the answer you get! The camera pulls back — walls white, stitched with rubber seams. He’s rapping to no one, drenched in broken dreams. Bandaged fists bang padded walls in time, Lyrics bleeding out like a nursery rhyme. His eyes roll wild, laughter cracks his throat