Graveyard Drill

Door hinge sings when

the hallway bends I step in calm,

count breaths to ten Floorboards talk when I move with the patience

Old mask grins from the wall in the basement

No panic, I map every crack in the plaster

Cold breath rides with the kick and the clapper

Name on the mirror,

but it is not mine

Still I walk forward,

one foot on time

They ran from the room when the candle went thin I stayed

for the count, let the nightmare begin

Do not run, hear the latch go

click

Cold floor, slow step,

candlewick

Who is there, who is next,

who gets picked

Knock three times, then the whole room shifts

Do not run, hear the latch go

click

Cold floor, slow step,

candlewick

I came through calm when the ceiling dripped

Knock three times, then the whole room shifts Staircase turns like it

knows my intention Portrait eyes hold a crooked expression I keep the

count with the drip in the sink Every bar lands where the

old floor sinks Phone screen dead,

but the room keeps ringing Small brass key in the coat hook

swinging If fear wants rent,

let it pay in full I do not fold when the cold

gets cruel

Lights go out, but the verse stays lit

One more door and the handle twists I hear my name from

an empty chair I answer once,

then I climb the stairs

Top floor cracked and the moon looked faded Old tape plays with

the voices degraded I see fear try to bargain for breath I

write one line and it backs up left Black suit clean,

no stain on the cuff Heart still steady when the floor gets

rough Bring that bell,

bring that bass, bring proof I make cold rooms move when I

step in the booth

Do not run, hear the latch go click Cold floor,

slow step, candlewick

Who is there, who is next,

who gets picked Knock three times,

then the whole room shifts Do not run,

hear the latch go click

Cold floor, slow step,

candlewick I came through calm when the ceiling dripped Knock three times,

then the whole room shifts (yeah) (ah!)

Last step lands and the hallway quits No more knocks,

just the candlewick

If they ask who stayed in the grip Tell them calm came

through and the whole room shifted