We Are Lost

Music by Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Tim Powles, Marty Willson-Piper
Words from the book Shriek: An Afterword by Jeff VanderMeer

Appears On:

The words on this track are from Shriek: An Afterword, Part Two, Chapter 2, 6th section – p. 239 (Ltd. Ed. p. 227).
The sleeve credits the voice of Janice [Shriek] by Tracy Redhead, but in the book these words are spoken by her brother, Duncan Shriek, to Mary Sabon.

Lyrics

We are lost, my love
If you make a sound
We are dead
You understand

[Repeated several times]

Original Text from Shriek: An Afterword:

Of course, as a corrective counterbalance, the smell coming from below us was rank, stifling. And then, as if to undo all of my reassurances, there came the sound of scuttling, of scattering. That's when I think her spirit really broke and she began to panic. She pulled away from me, to turn back, to run. I held on to her wrist, would not let go. I had to put my hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming.

"We're lost, my love, if you make a sound," I said. "We're dead. You understand?" She nodded, and I took my hand from her mouth. Her eyes in the dim light were white and wide.

The sounds came from below us, moving fast. Something wanted out. Something wanted to reach the surface. It wasn't my place to stop it even if I could, which I couldn't. There was no time to do anything but what I did: I pulled mary inside of my greencoat and pushed her into the side of the passageway, my coat covering both of us, and the coat itself covered with protective spores. They had begun to take root and form fruiting bodies. I had to hope it would be enough.