[Intro] (Instrumental Solo) [Verse 1] Kirkstall lights bleed across split felt tables I was the kid who wove fables from solder They pinned a "geek" badge, sharp as a pin's point Never could crack why I was out of joint [Verse 2] Then I met Al—another hack with a spark Circuit-board slang, a frequency we shared in the dark We spoke in hex, the hackers' low hum Two misfits finally finding our fun [Chorus] We fixed the broken, hacked the locked door Turned scrap metal junk into something more He was the only one who saw the me I hid Now static screams where our laughter used to live [Verse 3] We built TV boxes that outshone the rest Cracked premium feeds for the unheard and repressed Late nights with beer and a soldering iron Tricks traded till dawn's first light was born [Verse 4] I'd knock his door, expecting a drink and a plan He'd yank me in: "C'mon, look at this new hack I ran" We'd laugh till our sides ached, then dive back in Two rebels, two geeks, no need to pretend [Bridge] Then the call came cold, like a shorted-out wire Bone cancer's grip, a fire we couldn't retire He fought like a soldier, went under the knife They took his arm to save his life [Verse 5] I walked in his room, throat tight as a fist Saw the empty sleeve, the ghost of his twist Cancer kept creeping, reaper in the night Stolen the spark from his once-bright eyes [Chorus] We fixed the broken, hacked the locked door Turned scrap metal junk into something more He was the only one who saw the me I hid Now static screams where our laughter used to live [Verse 6] Now I sit with a motherboard, hands steady but numb Reach for my phone, then remember he's gone I still mutter, "Al, you'd love this new tweak" Then silence hits, sharp as a mountain peak [Bridge] Reaper's come calling, stolen my kin First my dad, now my best friend—where do I begin? But he can't take the code we wrote in the dark The memories we forged, the permanent mark [Outro] This is my tribute to the geek who got me The mate who saw past the label they gave me When my own number's up, when my final code crashes I'll find you in the static, old friend—there's more than just ashes