Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College

Musical Team 2018-2019

Decode

Cast List
Jennifer Wood
Spencer Wood, Brother of Jennifer Wood
Dr. Angelica Wood, Mother of Jennifer Wood
Artificial Intelligence, Alpha
Dr. Stone
Sophie
Alice
Elizabeth
Daisy
Daisy’s Mother
Participants

Songs:
❖ Excelling Children (Revolting Children from Matilda)
❖ Space Between (from The Descendants)
❖ Once and For All (from Newsies)
❖ Paper Heart (by Tori Kelly)
❖ This is me (from The Greatest Showman)

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 PROLOGUE

[LIGHTS UP]

ALPHA: Are you sure to proceed?

JENNIFER: Wait. Hold on!

[BLACKOUT]

Scene 1 - “001 Revival”

[LIGHTS UP]

DR. STONE: Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the grand opening of the first ever laboratory that

applied the technology of Artificial intelligence in directly communicating with your brain. This is

one of the greatest milestones that has been made in the history of mankind, it is a big leap forward

to the future and we could be the master of anything!

[Crowd clapping hands and amazed]

DR. STONE: The project is entitled as “001 Revival”. (Crowd applause) This is a huge

breakthrough allowing us to gain unlimited knowledge. Participants will have to give up their

memories to gain the same value of knowledge… Plant this chip in your head, erase all meaningless

memories and replace with useful academic knowledge. Now let me present to you all - ‘The

Conversion Cube’.

Song 1: Excelling Children (Original song: Revolting Children)

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 Woah! Never again will she get the best of me!

Never again will she take away my freedom

And we won't forget the day we fought

For the right to be a little bit smarter!

Never again will I fail an exam!

Never again will I disappoint and

Never again will I doubt it when

My mummy says I'm a miracle!

Never again! Never again will we want what’s not ours!

Never again now that we know...

We are excelling children...Living in desperate times...

We’ll do as we’re told

And we’ll fall in line

We'll be excelling children

'Til our excelling’s done

We’re no longer disappointing

We're excelling! We are excelling children...

Living in desperate times...We’ll do as we’re told

And we’ll fall in line... We'll be excelling children

'Til our excelling’s done

We’re no longer disappointing

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 We're excelling!

[LIGHTS UP on Cube A, Daisy is studying and Daisy’s MOM urges her to study harder]

DAISY: I have been finishing 2 chapters of biology revision since lunch ended 45 minutes. Mom

would be so proud. I know that’s what she wants. (says this in a really happy and exciting tone)

and that’s why I quitted the orchestra and the hand chimes team. It’s not getting me to a decent

university anyways. I will not let those stop me. Those teams are no use at all! Study is what’s most

important and nothing else matters.

DAISY: (To Alpha) Alpha, this memory is useless. I want to plant the whole periodic table in my

head! Hydrogen, helium…. Proceed.

ALPHA: MEMORY ERASED

[LIGHTS UP on Cube C, SOPHIE, ALICE and ELIZABETH are waiting for the magnetic

train to go home]

SOPHIE: Remember what the school mentioned to us today? About “001 Revival”?

ALICE: Ya, I’m interested! Hey, let’s join together! And get all the knowledge we can! Eliz, are

you in?

ELIZABETH: Well… I’m not sure...umm...

SOPHIE: What are you not sure of?

ALICE: Come on!

SOPHIE: There’s nothing for you to lose! They say we just plant a chip and we get to choose what

knowledge to gain and what memories to lose, easy peasy!

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ALICE: Everything is going to be under our control! It’s no big deal!

ELIZABETH: No big deal? Is it really no big deal at all?

SOPHIE: Yeah! It’s doesn’t matter at all. If we can get

ALICE and SOPHIE: Knowledge!

ELIZABETH: Okay. (breath in) Maybe it’s really just a no big deal, right? Let’s do this together?

ALICE, SOPHIE: YES. And we are all gonna be very smart!

ELIZABETH: (To Alpha) Alpha, I need places for knowledge. Proceed.

ALPHA: MEMORY ERASED

[LIGHTS UP on CUBE B, JENNIFER’s mother ANGELICA found out her daughter joined

the experiment]

ANGELICA: Are you joining the experiment?

JENNIFER: (Grabs the letter) Leave me alone! It’s none of your business!

ANGELICA: None of my business? You’re my daughter!

JENNIFER: Isn't this what you want? You started the whole project!

ANGELICA: I quit.

JENNIFER: So? You said that to him as well! And see what happened. He went missing because of

you! Hypocrite.

[BLACKOUT]

Scene 2 – The Memory Data

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ALPHA: Miss Jennifer Wood, would you like to erase this memory data? Are you sure to proceed?

JENNIFER: Wait. Hold on!

ALPHA: ‘Participants will have to give up their memories to gain the same value of knowledge.’

‘You must sacrifice all meaningless memories in your head.’

JENNIFER: Meaningless memories?

ALPHA: Imagine your brain is a bookshelf and the size of the shelf is fixed. You put all kind of

stuff on it and it’s stuck. Now, ‘001 Revival’ helps you clean up meaningless memories and refresh

your brain with meaningful knowledge.

JENNIFER: Meaningful knowledge?

ALPHA: Academic knowledge drives you to the 5** paradise.

JENNIFER: (Feeling sarcastic) The 5** paradise. Have you any idea how much pressure the ‘5**’

paradise has brought to the students?

ALPHA: Sorry, I don’t have the answer. But I can search my database and calculate the best answer

for you if you wish.

JENNIFER: Alpha, you don’t have everything in your database.

ALPHA: No one has everything in his head. Miss Wood, I have to warn you. If you spend too much

time on searching your memory data, other participants will go faster than you.

JENNIFER: To the ‘5** paradise’?

ALPHA: Absolutely. According to the contract, if you fail to fulfill the goal, the system will

randomly erase 90% of your memories and automatically transfer useful academic knowledge to

your brain. You’ll be like a mindless zombie.

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JENNIFER: How much time do I have?

ALPHA: 3 hours. Let me give you some suggestions, for example, sad memories in your data.

[SPENCER and JENNIFER enter. JENNIFER is wearing a blindfold.]

JENNIFER: Hey, where are we?

SPENCER: Alright, when I count 3, you will take off your blindfold.

JENNIFER: Ok.

SPENCER: 1, 2, 3… Happy Birthday!

JENNIFER: (Takes off the blindfold and sees a lot of tulips) I … I can’t. Mom will be very angry

if she finds out...

SPENCER: Who cares! Didn’t you say you want to see the real tulips? Come on! These tulips, they

are not in the book. They are real!

JENNIFER: But…. (She touches the tulips) Yes, it’s real.

SPENCER: This is how we are going to learn - seeing, touching and feeling.

JENNIFER: Mom will never agree with you.

SPENCER: No, she won’t. But at least we’ve found our secret garden, a place without mom,

without stress and comparison.

JENNIFER: What if mom finds out?

SPENCER: Don’t worry. I’ll settle it. You know, she needs me.

JENNIFER: No Spencer, I don’t want you to go back. They’re experimenting something bad on

you.

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SPENCER: Jen, they are just doing some tests.

JENNIFER: Just because you are a lot more intelligent than the others.

SPENCER: Just because I’m the son of Dr. Angelica Wood. Jen, believe me, I volunteered to help

her.

JENNIFER: Spencer.

SPENCER: It’s our plan. We need to stop this madness. It’s either you or me.

JENNIFER: And that’s why I don’t want you to go back to the institute.

SPENCER: Believe me, I’ll be fine.

Mom (VO): Spencer dear, where are you? We have to go.

SPENCER: (Passes Jennifer a memory card) This is the key to the truth.

JENNIFER: No, Spencer I don’t want it.

SPENCER: Take it. In case I don’t come back…

JENNIFER: (takes the key) Promise me you have to be back.

SPENCER: I’ll be back. Promise.

[LIGHTS change. Angelica and some scientists are taking Spencer to the laboratory.]

Song 2: Space Between

JENNIFER: I didn't know what you were goin' through

I thought that you were fine

Why did you have to hide

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 SPENCER: I didn't want to let you down

But the truth is out

It's tearin' me apart, not listenin' to my heart

SPENCER: I really had to go

JENNIFER: And I would never stop you

JENNIFER: Even though we've changed

SPENCER: Nothing has to change

Both: And you can find me in the space between

Where two worlds come to meet

I'll never be out of reach

'Cause you're a part of me

So you can find me in the space between

You'll never be alone

No matter where you go

We can meet in the space between

[LIGHTS CHANGE. Alpha’s cube.]

JENNIFER: I then never see him again.

ALPHA: Do you want to erase this memory?

[Pause]

JENNIFER: Alpha. I want to know what happened to him.

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ALPHA: He went missing. I just showed you the scene you saw him the last time.

JENNIFER: No, Alpha. I believe he is still out there.

ALPHA: Sorry I do not have the answer. I can check my database and calculate the best answer for

you if you wish.

JENNIFER: No, I’ll find the answer myself. (Jennifer replaces her ‘chip’ with Spencer’s one)

With this chip. I will see all his memory data!

[BLACKOUT]

Scene 3 – Once And For All

[LIGHTS CHANGE. DR. STONE is having a meeting with a few scientists.]

DR. STONE: How’s the progress?

Scientist 1: Almost 100% of the participants chose to sacrifice the useless memories. 80% of them

have already started to plant in new academic knowledge.

DR. STONE: Good. Where do we keep their data?

Scientist 2: In the cube.

DR. STONE: Lovely. I can’t wait to see the success of ‘001 revival’.

Scientist 3: But Dr. Stone, we still haven’t figured out the way to settle the main problem. Our

experimental subject was reported mental disorder after the plant in.

DR. STONE: (Angry) And that’s why we invited these kids to join the project! We need more

subjects….

Scientist 3: But….

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DR. STONE: I am doing this for the mankind. We will create perfect labours for society and I will

become the most influential person in Human History. ‘001 revival’, once and for all….

Song 3: Once and for all

SOPHIE & ALICE:

There's change coming once and for all

You head to the race and then, you will soon succeed

Tomorrow they'll see what we are

And sure as a star, we ain't come this far... to lose

ENSEMBLE:

This is the program we needed to join as we're kept out of sight, well no more

In a few hours by dawns early light we'll be ready to upgrade ourselves

This time we're in it to stay, talk about seizing the day

Write it in ink or in blood, it's the same either way.

We're gonna damn well change!

When your own family snug in their bed, they don't care if we're dead or alive

They only scold us without any care, while we're begging for love to survive

hey, you can stop scratching head, we're gonna get what we want

You've got your keys with their skills and their help, Yeah!

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 But we got a promise to catch!

Once and for all if they don't show no mercy, we'll bleed 'em! (Bleed 'em!)

Once and for all we won't worry no brainers that shout us brainless!

ENSEMBLE: Finally we're raising the stakes, this time whatever it takes!

This time the union awakes, Once and for all!

DR. STONE: (Suddenly realizes) Wait. Almost 100%? Who’s not in the game? Oh, perfect. She is

playing into my hands.

Scene 4 – Spencer’s plan

[The laboratory.]

[Spencer is doing some tests. Angelica is checking the result.]

ANGELICA: Spencer, you are doing well.

SPENCER: Yes, I know.

ANGELICA: You know, what you are doing will help a lot of people.

SPENCER: in what?

ANGELICA: Brain capacity, higher intelligence…. You will become the most influential person in

Human History.

SPENCER: You will become the most influential person in Human History, not me.

[Dr. Stone enters.]

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DR. STONE: (Holding some reports) Dr. Wood, according to the report, Mr. Wood’s brain capacity

increase by…

ANGELICA: Hey hey wait…. Can’t you see I’m working on something important?

DR. STONE: But…it’s…

ANGELICA: I will read it later. LEAVE!

[Dr. Stone leaves.]

SPENCER: You’re mean.

ANGELICA: What?

SPENCER: Miss Stone is a good person.

ANGELICA: Never mind her! All I care about is you, Spencer. You are THE ONE.

SPENCER: I just want to end this. Mom, I want to go home.

ANGELICA: We’ll see. We’ll soon go to the final stage.

SPENCER: You promised.

ANGELICA: Spencer, if you stay here, the government will provide you the best!! You will skip all

the stupid exams that ordinary students are worrying about, you will learn a lot of new stuff, you

will become the next Einstein— or even better!

SPENCER: I see myself a guinea pig only.

ANGELICA: Spencer, this is not real.

SPENCER: I want my life back!

ANGELICA: Son, don’t be silly, you are living your own life. Mom is assisting you because I want

you to have a bright future!

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SPENCER: I just want to decide my own future. (Pause) Fine as long as Jennifer stays out of all

this nonsense.

ANGELICA: Okay. I’ve installed a self-destructive program into the system. Whenever Jennifer

connects to it, the system will automatically shut down. I can only promise you that much.

(The machine is making a weird grinding noise. ‘Caution!’ ‘Caution!’)

ANGELICA: What’s going on?

SPENCER: Mom, help! Help! Help!

ANGELICA: Spencer! (She yells) Is anyone here? Help him get off the machine.

NOW!! Bianca Stone!!!!! Where are you!!!

(Stone and some scientists enter the lab and help Spencer out. Spencer is out of conscious. )

ANGELICA: Where did you go? What happened to this machine?

DR. STONE: You asked me to leave and I…

SCIENTIST 1: (Checking Spencer’s pulse) He’s fine.

SCIENTIST 2: We will send him to the medical centre.

SCIENTIST 3: Bianca, did you send the report to Dr. Wood?

DR. STONE: Sorry, It’s my fault. I should have…

SPENCER: (wakes up) It’s not her fault.

ANGELICA: Spencer!

DR. STONE: I’m sorry.

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SPENCER: It’s ok. (To Angelica) I think you better cooperate with your colleagues, or else you’re

going to kill your own son. Miss Stone, could you please send me to the medical centre?

[Everyone leaves except Angelica.]

[LIGHTS CHANGE. The medical centre.]

SPENCER: Hey Bianca. What was the report about?

DR. STONE: It’s complicated. And I’m not supposed to tell you.

SPENCER: Please, I trust you.

DR. STONE: What we are trying to achieve is erasing useless memories in your brain.

SPENCER: Erasing useless memories? Tell me, what kind of memory is useless?

DR. STONE: I don’t know. But the problem now is….

SPENCER: Is what?

DR. STONE: Spencer, you’re helping a lot of poor and ordinary teenagers. The disparity of the rich

and poor stays wide because the poor doesn’t even have a chance to receive higher education! The

phenomenon will change because of this project.

SPENCER: Straight to the point please.

DR. STONE: If we don’t handle the final stage well, you may lose all your memories.

SPENCER: I don’t wanna lose my memories. You have to do something.

DR. STONE: How? I am just a nobody.

SPENCER: Not to me. (Pause) I’m not asking you to stop this project. But at least, get me a

duplicate of all my memories.

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DR. STONE: Spencer, even if you have a copy of your memories, it doesn’t mean that we can plant

it to your brain again. Cause your brain is…

SPENCER: Damaged. But at least there is a chance! Even if I can’t remember anything, my sister

will know what happened to me. And you…I don’t want to forget you.

DR. STONE: Spencer, I…

SPENCER: I will change the terms of the authorization letter, only allow you to access my memory

data. So, You will become the only person in charge of ‘001 revival’. Let’s end all of this madness.

DR. STONE: The only person in charge.

[DR. STONE takes the memory card. ]

[BLACK OUT. ]

Scene 5 – Paper Heart

[Secret Garden. Spencer is making paper hearts.]

JENNIFER: Spencer, what are these (paper hearts) for?

SPENCER: Remembrance.

JENNIFER: What? I don’t get it.

SPENCER: Write down the things I remember and fold it into paper heart.

JENNIFER: But no one uses paper. It’s 2030, you can easily review your memory on a device.

SPENCER: It’s different.

JENNIFER: Different how?

SPENCER: (Folds a paper heart) You can see it, touch it…

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JENNIFER: And feel it. Spencer, you’re old school.

SPENCER: Yes, I am. I asked Bianca to get me a copy of my memory data.

JENNIFER: No. You will quit this project.

SPENCER: Jennifer, I will change the terms of the authorization letter and make Bianca the person

in charge.

JENNIFER: So mom has to quit?

SPENCER: She then has no right to access my data. ‘001 revival’ will shut down.

JENNIFER: What about Bianca? She is the person in charge, what if she…

SPENCER: I believe her. (Pause) Come on Jen, let’s destroy the project. (Gives her the paper

heart)

[Alpha’s cube. ]

JENNIFER: Alpha, search Spencer’s memory, show me how he went missing. I need to know

where he is!

ALPHA: It requires a code. That was the last scene I’ve found.

JENNIER: A code? No way, you liar!

[Dr. Stone enters.]

DR. STONE: AI never lies.

JENNIFER: What did you do to my brother? He trusted you. Give me the code. I have right to

access his memory.

DR. STONE: I don’t have it. He locked his memory box.

JENNIFER: You are saying that you have no responsibility for his disappearance?

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DR. STONE: I love him but he left without a word.

JENNIFER: You know he wants to end this.

DR. STONE: But the students need him.

(All students enter. They are very satisfied with the ‘plant in’)

Daisy: Oh my. I can remember the whole periodic table and every single line of Shakespeare’s

scripts.

Sophie: I remember every single word in the dictionary…

Elizabeth: I can do better than a calculator. I can remember every single math formula

Alice: I’m finally a genius!

All: We want more, more, more knowledge!

DR. STONE: See? This is all because of your brother! Now, Jennifer, we need you. We need you to

be our role model! You’re even more intelligent than your brother!

All: Please, we need you. PLEASE!!!!!!

[Students surround Jennifer and push Jennifer into the cube.]

[Scientists put the helmet on Jennifer’s head.]

JENNIFER: NOOOOOO!!!!!

[The system shuts down.]

DR. STONE: It’s impossible! (To scientists) You go check the system immediately!

[ANGELICA enters.]

ANGELICA: It’s useless.

DR. STONE: I thought I got rid of you!

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ANGELICA: There was one thing you didn’t know about the system. Whenever Jennifer connects

to the cube, the system will go down.

[SPENCER’s projection appears]

SPENCER: This is my last wish.

DR.STONE: What?

JENNIFER: Spencer.

SPENCER: Jen, when you see this, I’m already dead. Right? Bianca?

[Flashback]

SPENCER: Are we gonna stop this project.

DR.STONE: Spencer, we figure out the way to save you from brain damage. This cure is only for

you!

SPENCER: Me? So you are gonna continue this project? What about the other kids?

DR.STONE: Does it matter?

SPENCER: It does! What if those are our kids?

DR.STONE: But they aren’t!

SPENCER: You are selfish, Bianca.

DR.STONE: I love you Spencer!

SPENCER: But I will end this!

DR.STONE: No, Spencer!

[End flashback]

MOM: (reading paper hearts)

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SPENCER: Mom I’m sorry. I was never a good son I failed everyone, but this is the chance to make

it right! I don’t want the other kids to lose their memories especially their memories with their loved

ones. With me gone, it will cause a major setback. Tell Jennifer I went missing. Mom, protect

Jennifer, save them all!

[Light Change]

Song 4: Paper Heart

JENNIFER: Remember the way you made me feel

Such young love but

MOTHER: Something in me knew that it was real

Frozen in my head

JENNIFER: Pictures I'm living through for now

Trying to remember all the good times

BOTH: Our life was cutting through so loud

Memories are playing in my dull mind

MOM: I hate this part paper hearts

JENNIFER: And I'll hold a piece of yours

MOM: Don't think I would just forget about it

THREE: Hoping that you won't forget about it

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SPENCER: I’ve always dreamt to be an explorer, going around the world, seeing..

MOM: Touching…

JENNIFER: Feeling….

SPENCER: I’m free. Free to go anywhere I want.

MOM: Everything is gray under these skies

JENNIFER: Wet mascara

MOM: Hiding every cloud under a smile

JENNIFER: When there's cameras

MOM: And I just can't reach out to tell you

JENNIFER: That I always wonder what you're up to

BOTH: Pictures I'm living through for now

Trying to remember all the good times

Our life was cutting through so loud

Memories are playing in my dull mind

MOM: I hate this part paper hearts

JENNIFER: And I'll hold a piece of yours

THREE: Don't think I would just forget about it

SPENCER: Hoping that you won't forget

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 MOTHER: I live through pictures as if I was right there by your side

JENNIFER: But you'll be good without me and if I could just give it some time

THREE: I (You)’ll be alright

SPENCER: Mom, Jennifer, don’t miss me. Forget all sadness, and remember our precious

moments. Distance means nothing when someone means everything.

BOTH: Pictures I'm living through for now

Trying to remember all the good times

Our life was cutting through so loud

Memories are playing in my dull mind

I hate this part paper hearts

And I'll hold a piece of yours

Don't think I would just forget about it

THREE: Hoping that we won't forget

SPENCER: I was never able to make it. Sorry I lied, (pause). With the code I gave you, please,

restore everyone’s memories.

JENNIFER: (OPENS PAPER HEART) Remembrance.

[SPENCER DISAPPEARS]

[SYSTEM REBOOTS]

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Alpha: Memory restored. (ALPHA FADES OUT)

DAISY: Oh! I’m late for dinner! Mother must be so worried!

ELIZABETH: Hey Alice what happened ?

ALICE: I don’t know. Are we in a dream or something?

SOPHIE: This place is creeping me out. Let’s get out of here!!

[EVERYONE STARTS TO LEAVE]

DR STONE: NO!!! You can’t do this to me!! What about humanity? What about the future? STOP-

ANGELICA: Bianca. You don’t need to be a genius for humanity to survive.

[DR STONE BREAKS DOWN]

[BLACK OUT]

EPILOGUE

SPENCER VO : Jen, what do you wanna be when you grow up?

JENNIFER VO : I want to be a writer. Maybe I could write our story someday. But it’s not possible

I guess.

SPENCER VO : What are you afraid of?

JENNIFER VO : Expectations.

SPENCER VO : So you’re gonna sacrifice your own expectations for the others?

JENNIFER VO : Maybe? I don’t know.

SPENCER VO : Just remember, whatever you do, tell yourself:

JENNIFER VO : This is me.

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 SONG 5: This is Me

I am not a stranger to the dark

Hide away, they say

'Cause we don't want your broken parts

I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars

Run away, they say

No one'll love you as you are

But I won't let them break me down to dust

I know that there's a place for us

For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

Oh-oh-oh-oh (x4)

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh

Another round of bullets hits my skin

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 Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in

We are bursting through the barricades and

Reaching for the sun (we are warriors)

Yeah, that's what we've become (yeah, that's what we've become)

I won't let them break me down to dust

I know that there's a place for us

For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

Oh-oh-oh-oh (x4)

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh

This is me

and I know that I deserve your love

(Oh-oh-oh-oh) 'cause there's nothing I'm not worthy of

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 (Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

This is brave, this is proof

This is who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come (look out 'cause here I come)

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on)

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I'm gonna send a flood

Gonna drown them out

Oh

This is me

-THE END-

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