The Laughing Mirror

Intro — clean guitar / distant calliope

There's a light beyond the midway

Burning underneath the rain

Every ride is standing silent

But I swear I hear my name

Verse 1

Dust is dancing on the floor

Rust is climbing up the door

Carnival lights begin to fade

Shadows stretch across the arcade

I found a mirror in the hall

Framed in silver cracked and tall

I looked inside and saw my face

Then watched it smile out of place

Pre-Chorus

I stepped left she stepped right

I stepped back she stayed in sight

Something underneath the glass

Was moving when I tried to pass

Chorus

There's a laugh inside the mirror

There's a shadow in the glass

Every time I try to leave

I hear that laughter coming back

There's a laugh inside the mirror

And it follows where I go

I came looking for the carnival

Now the carnival won't let me go

Post-Chorus

Ha-ha hear it ring

Ha-ha through everything

Round and round the old rides turn

Watch the midnight candles burn

Ha-ha there she stands

Smiling with her folded hands

I close my eyes and count to four

When I open them she's closer than before

Verse 2

Carousel begins to spin

Though the power's never been in

Painted horses rise and fall

Empty voices fill the hall

Then two ears appear behind my eyes

A darker shape begins to rise

A wicked grin replaces mine

And suddenly she's keeping time

Pre-Chorus

One soft knock against the frame

Two more knocks and then my name

I hold my breath and count to three

Dark Bunny's staring back at me

Chorus

There's a laugh inside the mirror

There's a shadow in the glass

Every time I try to leave

I hear that laughter coming back

There's a laugh inside the mirror

And it follows where I go

I came looking for the carnival

Now the carnival won't let me go

Post-Chorus

Ha-ha hear it ring

Ha-ha through everything

Round and round the old rides turn

Watch the midnight candles burn

Ha-ha there she stands

Smiling with her folded hands

I close my eyes and count to four

When I open them she's closer than before

Verse 3

I turn the handle pull the door

But find the same old carnival floor

Every exit leads me back

Every hallway follows the track

The mirror waits beneath the light

Her eyes are burning through the night

She raises one hand against the pane

I hear that laughter once again

Bridge

Maybe she was never there

Maybe something followed me

Maybe mirrors don't reflect us

Maybe they reveal what we refuse to see

I reach toward the silver frame

She reaches out and does the same

Our fingertips almost meet

Then her reflection disappears

Breakdown

No reflection

No disguise

Two long ears

Two bright eyes

The lights go black

The midway dies

HAHAHAHA

Final Chorus

There's a laugh inside the mirror

Now it's everywhere I go

Through the empty carnival

Through the streets beneath the glow

There's a laugh inside the mirror

And I finally understand

I wasn't looking at Dark Bunny

Dark Bunny was looking back

Outro

The carnival goes quiet

The mirror loses light

But somewhere in the darkness

She laughs one more time