(INTRO - A soft hum, distant and warm. A single piano note)

"Shhh... it's alright, little one..."
"Close your eyes, the night has come..."
"The world is quiet, soft and deep..."
"Lay your head and go to sleep..."

(The piano continues, delicate. A second voice joins—his own echo, trapped in time.)

"I know the dark is cold and wide..."
"I know the stars are hard to find..."
"But if you call, I'll come to stay..."
"I won't let you fade away..."

(VERSE 1)

"Step by step, I walk these halls,
Guarding ghosts too small to fall.
Broken hands, forgotten names,
Scattered dreams, unwritten games..."

(The chimes twinkle. A ghostly choir hums—soft, almost like a child's breath.)

"We were left behind, but I won't leave..."
"Not until you're safe, not until you're free."
"Even if the days grow dim..."
"I will always watch for him..."

(CHORUS - A promise, whispered. A vow, unbroken.)

"Stay awake, don't be afraid,
I'll be the light, I'll keep you safe.
Even when the shadows grow,
I won't let you be alone..."

(The choir sways, gentle harmonies weaving together)

"Rest your head, I'll sing to you,
Soft and low, the way we knew...
And when the morning calls your name..."
"I will guide you home again..."

(VERSE 2)
"Do you remember the world outside?
Sunny days and fireflies?
Late-night stories, whispered words..."
"Laughing loud, the way we were..."

(The strings ache. The chimes shiver.)

"I lost you once, I lost myself,
I watched the stars blink out and melt.
But I refuse to say goodbye..."
"Not until you see the sky..."

(CHORUS - Again, but the melody is stronger. Hope rising through sorrow.)

"Stay awake, don't be afraid,
I'll be the light, I'll keep you safe.
Even when the shadows grow,
I won't let you be alone..."

(The choir joins, voices overlapping—soft but determined.)

"Rest your head, I'll sing to you,
Soft and low, the way we knew...
And when the morning calls your name..."
"I will guide you home again..."

(BRIDGE - The hardest part. The confession. The sorrow he's never spoken aloud.)

(The music fades to near silence. Just a heartbeat. Just his voice—bare, vulnerable, true.)

"I should have held your hand that night..."
"I should have stayed within your sight..."
"But though the years have torn and frayed..."
"I am here... I always stayed..."

(The wind whispers. The melody lingers. The past can't be undone—but neither can love.)

(FINAL CHORUS - The lullaby returns, wrapping around the listener like a protective embrace. His spirit shines, gentle, unyielding.)

"Stay awake, don't be afraid,
I'll be the light, I'll keep you safe.
Even when the shadows grow,
I won't let you be alone..."

(The choir softens. The ghost children hum, their voices like stardust, fading into peace.)

"Close your eyes, the dawn will rise,
A brand new sun will paint the sky..."
"And when the world calls out your name..."
"I will let you go... that day..."

(OUTRO - A final, lingering hum. The music box turns, plays its last note... then clicks shut.)

"Goodnight, little brother."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

INSPIRED BY : Ferrum's Carnival Of Shadows!
(my original book)

CHARACTERS : a somewhat duet between the MC
and his younger brother!!

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘