Every morning, every evening,

Every day of my life I'm wasting away

See them staring, see them chatting

See them walking around with dumb things to say

I would rather be dragged a mile by wild horses

Than give them the time of day

They don't read or write or listen

They don't think and they don't learn

They don't search for answers

They don't dream and they don't yearn, no no

They don't make a difference

Nothing big and nothing small

They do nothing at all here in Westfall

Mr. Grayson, Mrs. Mason

Little Janet and James

They all grind my gears

Hear them coming, hear them laughing

Hear them slithering over oozing good cheer

I would rather be boiled alive in a vat of acid

Than stop and lend them an ear

I don't like their smiling faces

I don't like their empty heads

I don't like their optimistic lack of existential dread

I don't like the winter or the summer or the fall

I don't like it at all here in Westfall

But sometimes in my dreams I see

They're all looking up at me

And they all say, now there's that gene

He's smart, he's brilliant, he's a hero

He's one in a million, oh

Let's leave him alone

Someday soon they'll finally get me

Someday soon they'll let me be

Someday soon I'll have a great idea

And it'll set me free

Someday soon we'll be the ones to answer when I call

Someday we'll have it all here in Westfall

That won't happen at all here in Westfall

Long, long ago, in a time we’ve forgotten

There lived a young boy

Just an orphan, who thought that

The world could be more

Than what he was told it should be

Then, on that day, that old giant came down

Took a hostage and ran

And escaped to the mountains

And none would stand tall

To rescue Westfall from defeat

Save one, that know-it-all orphan

Who took the stage

The Warrior of Westfall

Saved the day

He took a sword, and marched forward

Slaying the giant, and saving their lives

And when he returned he was known

As the greatest hero on earth

He used his skill to rebuild

He protected the people from all getting killed

By armies, disasters, and ills

Then he shared the goodwill with the world

He forged a lasting peace

Not with might but with mind

The Warrior of Westfall

The greatest of all time

And now he’s gone down into glorious history

Though most of his deeds are forgotten by time

But while his true goodness to some is a mystery

It’s all right here in this book of mine

And now all that’s left of his ways

Are just the half-truths that I see in that play

No mention of all his ideals

No inventions, just steel

Only war on our Warrior Day

But if you read my book

I know you would see

The Warrior of Westfall

Is just like me

What have we here?

An open door

A new horizon

I can't be sure

Where is this from?

Far or near?

How did they know

That we were here?

No one leaves

And no one comes

Is that the law?

Or just what we've always done?

My heart is full

My eyes are wide

And I can't keep these feelings inside

I gotta follow these footsteps

Wherever they may lead

Though they bring me into darkness

Or to someone else like me

I wanna follow these footsteps

Anywhere they go

To these footsteps

Lead me back home

My parents said

Gene, you'll go far

If you stay

Right where you are

I know deep down

I'll never leave

But what I saw

Can't be unseen

You can't erase

The plans I've made

The wheels are turning in my brain

And though I'm trapped

In walls of smiles

That won't keep me from dreaming for a while

I've gotta follow these footsteps

Just around the bend

I can walk up to the river

Just to see which way they went

I wanna follow these footsteps

And find out where they go

And let these footsteps

Lead me back home

So Mom, Dad, take a look at me

I'm staying where I ought to be

I'll keep my feet on the ground

I won't go wandering around

I'm gonna follow these footsteps

If only in my mind

Even in imagination

There is so much I can find

I've gotta follow these footsteps

Wherever they may go

They're just footsteps

No need to leave home

Sometimes in my dreams I see

They're all looking up at me

Now the day has suddenly arrived

And my courage is running dry

Oh, I feel so alone

So that's the way things go

No need for Gene, oh no

Until I'm all that you can get

The warrior and me

Match up so perfectly

And yet

My whole life I've tried

To open up your eyes

To prove I'm something by myself

And now the time has come

For me to be someone else

It's a long way past the river

It's a long way through the mountains

So if you could see

The hero that's in me before I go

Then I would never go

Time to pack my bags

And bark with sword in hand

Out into the great unknown

What a chance I've got

To live a story that's not my own

It's a long way past the river

It's a long way through the mountains

So if you could see

The hero that's in me before I go

Then I would never go

No chance, no way, no how

We're never gonna make it

No one can save us now

The best that I can do is fake it

How great can it be

To have no enemies

When you don't have any friends

It's a long way past the river

It's a long way through the mountains

So if you could see

The hero that's in me before I go

It's a long way past the river

It's a long way through the mountains

So if you could see

The hero that's in me before I go

Then I would never go

I would never go

I would never go

Chapter 7, line 11

There it is in unforgiving black and white

The warrior's half-witted uncle

Fell into the night

I've never understood your actions

I've never listened when you're trying to explain

And every time you try to reach me

You reach out in vain

Next time I will listen

Next time I'll play nice

I promise not to get angry

I swear I won't criticize

Next time I'll say sorry

And I'll say it again

But if there's no next time

What then?

Chapter 8, he presses onward

Thinking only of the giant he must fight

But how can I go on

Knowing what I did was wrong

If I can't make things right?

Next time I'll come running

Next time I'll be there

I'll always think before speaking

I'll never say I don't care

Next time I'll be friendly

I won't condescend

But if there's no next time

What then?

I wish this book had never come into my life

What good has come to anyone?

Dear Uncle Mendax, won't you say it's not too late

To make amends

Before the end

Next time I'll be quiet

I'll keep my mouth closed

I won't discuss my inventions

I won't bring up what I know

Next time I'll say sorry

Again and again

But if there's no next time

No next time

What then?

Lift up my head

Open my eyes

My wildest dreams

Have been actualized

Look at this house

It practically flies

Wherever I look

I’m mesmerized

Ten minutes ago

I was frozen in place

But now that I’m here

My worries are melting right away

Suddenly I’m having the time of my life

Suddenly I’m spiraling out of control

My wishes have come true

Now I don’t know what to do

‘Cause suddenly I’m having the time of my life

Look at that porch

With extendable stairs

And check out this gadget

For combing your hair

And here is a spyglass

That you can wear

And there is a trumpet

That plays without air

If I hadn’t seen it

I’d never believe

I found a city

Built by people just like me

Suddenly I’m having the time of my life

Suddenly there’s a distinct lack of cares in the world

I can’t believe my eyes

What an unexpected surprise

Oh, suddenly I’m having the time of my life

So strange and wonderful

This place has got it all

So different from my hometown of Westfall

Could you imagine?

Could you fathom?

Could you picture a Westfall that had all this stuff

Now I’ve seen it

Now I’ve lived it

Now I know that old Westfall was never enough

Somebody pinch me

Somebody wake me up

Suddenly I’m having the time of my life

Suddenly I don’t recall why I was scared

And since you and I met

I’ve started to forget

That suddenly I

Suddenly I

Suddenly I

I’ve gotta follow these footsteps

For the first time, a real choice is mine

And I am petrified

Eastmount's fine for me

But my destiny is all tied up in Westfall

If I stay, if I go

Is anyone out there even gonna know?

Once victory was earned

The warrior returned

And stayed till the end of his days

And though our paths diverged

I can't suppress the urge

To be just like he was

But am I still keeping them alive?

Or is it a lifelong waste of time?

If I stay, if I go

Is anyone out there even gonna know?

They can't survive without me

They'll keep fighting without me

They'll be just fine without me

They could die without me

Now that this nightmare made my dreams come true

I know what I've got to do

I'll be what this book says I should be

'Cause it knows more about me than me

I can't stay

I don't want to go

But I don't belong here

No, I don't belong here

Oh, I don't belong here

Let's go home

Let's go home

Let's go home

I risked my life to save you

I survived

My uncle died

I came back home to help you

Be careful how

You address me now

So let this sink in

I’m not who you’re thinking

If you didn’t know, I’m a star

If you couldn’t tell, I’m in charge

If you hadn’t realized how much I’ve grown

Oh

If you needed evidence I’m right

If you never truly gave me a try

If you didn’t know about me before

Now you know

I’ve lost all of my patience

Now’s the time

To see that I’m

The bringer of salvation

I’ll change the world

Just like the warrior

You gave him his own day

But where is my play

If you didn’t know I’m no joke

If you couldn’t see where I’m gonna go

If you hadn’t noticed that I’m not alone

No

If you had no clue that I’m the one

If you weren’t up on what I’ve done

If you didn’t know that I’m a hero

Now you know

Now you’re wise

My time has come

Watch me rise

If you didn’t know I’m afraid

If you couldn’t tell I don’t know what to say

If you thought that I was still just plain old Gene

Not me

If you weren’t sure that I’m a warrior

If you hadn’t figured out I’m more

If you didn’t know I run the show

Now you know

Look around

Look at what we’ve done

We’re building up a brand new world

But we’re hurting everyone

It’s true that I

Have never spared their feelings

And though I know we’re in the right

Some wounds are just not healing

You’ve opened my eyes

To a world that I’ve never

Thought could be mine

They’re foolish, they’re unwise

They’re wasting their lives

But is it wrong

If I want to be right

Mendax, what else could I do?

You would never listen

You never understood my plans

By your own admission

But I could never just stand by

While Westfall fell to ruin

And after how my parents died

It’s all I think of doing

I’ve opened my eyes

I’ve always been heartless

I’ve never been kind

They don’t hear me when I’m nice

Even to save their lives

But is it wrong

If I want to be right

What did I hope to gain?

What did I want them to say?

I can’t make them hear me

But I can make them fear me

I know that it’s time

To stop trying to change their lives

Until I’ve changed mine

I’m no Warrior, but that’s just fine

That’s just fine

But is it wrong

If I want to be right

Could it be wrong

If I want to be right

Is it so wrong

If all I want is to be right

He was a knight, not an orphan like me

He was trained just to fight, nothing more than that

He saved the king, that was true

Then devoted himself to the war

When he returned, he was bitter and hardened

Exhausted by bloodshed, his morals discarded

He leveraged his fame to place all the blame

On the ones who advised, built, invented, and strategized

Clever and wise, all must be ostracized

He sent your family away, they were banished henceforth

Until this very day, the schools and the libraries gone

Only fools have lived on in his wake

And Eastmount thus became what Westfall should be

A haven for the wise, the brilliant, the free

And Westfall wasted away after he died

The Warrior of Westfall is a lie

They don't scheme, or steal, or slander

They don't plot and there's no ploys

They don't take advantage of an unsuspecting orphan boy

They're all pretty dull, but there are much worse things to be

I need them, they need me, here in Westfall

I might fit in after all, here in Westfall