Splice Above the Dark

[Кіріспе] [Куплет 1] Main broke hard at the edge of town Black water climbed where the ladder went down Fiber case balanced against my knee Dispatch said, “hospital circuit’s dead—can you hear me?” [Қайырма] Water at my boots, rising by the mark One live strand between the ward and dark Finish this splice, or climb out now? Tell me, tell me—how much time have i got? [Куплет 2] Cold ran up through the cuffs of my jeans The red fault light blinked through the oily sheen I stripped the glass with a shaking hand “Keep that line alive,” came the voice from command [Қайырма] Water at my boots, rising by the mark One live strand between the ward and dark Finish this splice, or climb out now? Tell me, tell me—how much time have i got? [Guitar solo] [Көпір] Radio breaks—then the carrier falls I brace one shoulder against the wall One clean join, one breath to spare I set the fiber. i’m still down here. [Қайырма] Water at my boots, rising by the mark One live strand, now carrying the spark Splice holds steady—get the ladder down! The hospital’s back. i’m climbing out. [Аутро] Hands on the rung, boots clear the tide “Circuit is up,” from the other side