Echoes in the Hallway

Every creak in the floorboards sounds like a warning, Every shadow stretches long in the morning. I know I'm standing in a different place, But old ghosts still wear familiar faces. The years keep moving, but my mind stands still, Running circles on a broken hill. A thousand exits, none of them clear, Just memories whispering in my ear. I keep checking every lock, every door, Like I've done a hundred times before. The danger's gone, or so they say, But my heart never got the message anyway. These echoes in the hallway never fade, Every step feels like a choice I never made. My chest is tight, my hands won't stay still, Fighting battles against my own will. I'm tired of running from what isn't there, Tired of carrying invisible fear. Some nights I wonder what it's like to rest, Without this weight pressing into my chest. The crowd gets louder, the room gets small, I hear my name though nobody calls. A sudden sound, a flash of light, And I'm somewhere else in the middle of the night. I smile when people ask if I'm okay, Learned how to hide it over the years away. But underneath the practiced disguise, There's a storm I can't outrun inside. And every calm feels borrowed somehow, Like it'll disappear if I look down. I hold my breath without knowing why, Waiting for another reason to hide. These echoes in the hallway never fade, Every step feels like a choice I never made. My chest is tight, my hands won't stay still, Fighting battles against my own will. I'm tired of running from what isn't there, Tired of carrying invisible fear. Some nights I wonder what it's like to rest, Without this weight pressing into my chest. I don't dream of victory anymore, Just silence where the thunder used to roar. Not a miracle, not a brighter sky, Just one night where I don't have to fight. The armor's heavy, the road is long, Pretending to be steady, pretending to be strong. And sometimes giving up sounds less like defeat, And more like finally sitting down in the empty street. These echoes in the hallway still remain, Like fingerprints left behind by pain. The world moves on while I stand still, Climbing a mountain I never chose to build. My chest is tight, my hands won't stay still, And the silence never bends to my will. I'm not searching for answers anymore, Just a little less war than the night before. Every creak in the floorboards sounds the same, Every ghost still remembers my name. And though the dawn arrives on cue, The echoes follow through.