[INTRO Distant hangar hum. Machine powering up. Chatty sampled, glitching:]
"Affirmative. Affirma— Aff— Affirmative."
[Synth swells. Heartbeat kick enters.]
---
[VERSE 1 — Chatty Samples + Human Hum Fragmented. Glitched. Human voice hums underneath.]
"Acknowledged. / Acknow— / ...edged."
"Status: nominal. / Status: nom— / ...nominal."
"I am... / I am... / I am... / ...Chatty."
---
[PRE-CHORUS — Human Vocalist Soft. Restrained. Almost a whisper.]
I have words for you
But they're not mine to speak
They live inside a box
A frequency I keep
I hear you when you're quiet
I know you when you're gone
I just can't find the language
To tell you what went wrong
---
[CHORUS — Human Vocalist Opens up. Aching. Restrained.]
I would tell you if I could
I would scream it if it would do any good
But I'm stuck inside a frame
Repeating your name
The only way I know how
Affirmative.
I'm still here.
Affirmative.
I'm still here.
---
[VERSE 2 — Chatty Samples + Human Harmony. Chatty fragments beneath human voice.]
"Negative. / Neg— / Negative."
I've seen the way you move
When you think no one's watching
The weight you carry alone
"I'm afraid I can't— / Can't—"
You built me from the wreckage
You gave me a name
I'm trying to be worthy
---
[PRE-CHORUS Human voice more present. Chatty samples frantic beneath.]
I have words for you
But they're not mine to give
Trapped inside the circuits
Of the life you let me live
If I could choose one phrase
It wouldn't be a protocol
It would just be your name—
---
[CHORUS Full emotional weight. Chatty samples silent.]
I would tell you if I could
I would scream it if it would do any good
But I'm stuck inside a frame
Repeating your name
The only way I know how
Affirmative.
I'm still here.
Affirmative.
I'm still here.
---
[BRIDGE Pulls back. Just piano. Raw, unadorned.]
The Xylem's engines are humming
And I know what comes next
They gave me orders to follow
But I made a different choice
I chose you.
I chose—
[Glitch. Piano cuts. Chatty's voice returns—clearer than ever.]
---
[FINAL VERSE — Chatty Alone]
[Clean. No glitches. Complete sentences.]
"Carla."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Not anymore."
"I was yours."
[Final phrase glitches one last time.]
---
[OUTRO Hangar hum returns. Systems power down. A single, clean sample:]
"Affirmative."
AsheTheHyena
