the thing in the basement

Verse 1
There's a circus playing down the street,
But nobody remembers buying a seat.
The music plays when no one's there,
And painted faces disappear.

A little laugh behind the door,
Barefoot footsteps on the floor.
The lights go out, the curtains move,
There's something here that knows the truth.

Pre-Chorus
I hear the laughter down the hall,
I hear the scratching in the walls.
A voice is singing out of tune,
It says it'll be here very soon.

Chorus
Come a little closer, don't be shy,
There's something waiting where the shadows lie.
A pretty little smile, a twisted face,
There's no escaping this forgotten place.

The lights are flickering, the floorboards shake,
The little things are starting to wake.
You hear the music, you hear the sound,
But when you turn, there's no one around.

Verse 2
Red balloons are floating high,
Against the darkness in the sky.
A smiling face beneath the rain,
I've seen that face in every dream.

The photographs begin to change,
The people in them look deranged.
A music box begins to play,
But every note sounds far away.

Pre-Chorus
I hear the laughter down the hall,
I hear the scratching in the walls.
A voice is singing out of tune,
It says it'll be here very soon.

Chorus
Come a little closer, don't be shy,
There's something waiting where the shadows lie.
A pretty little smile, a twisted face,
There's no escaping this forgotten place.

The lights are flickering, the floorboards shake,
The little things are starting to wake.
You hear the music, you hear the sound,
But when you turn, there's no one around.

Bridge
A child's voice is counting slow,
From somewhere underneath the floor.
The walls are covered in little red stains,
And someone keeps repeating my name.

The hallway's longer than before,
There's something waiting by the door.
Its eyes are shining in the dark,
And every smile leaves another mark.

Final-Chorus
Come a little closer, take my hand,
Welcome to a place you won't understand.
The circus lights are burning bright,
But nobody is leaving here tonight.

The music's playing, the shadows dance,
You never really stood a chance.
A final smile, a final scream,
Welcome to my little dream.