Sara's deepest fears came true. Now it's time to face the devastating consequences...

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Three Sides of a Tragedy II

David, a young man, father of two small kids, feels like hanging out with some friends. Work is over, kids are sleeping, so, like many times before, he heads out to enjoy some time with his friends and have a couple of beers.
His city has been decaying for some time now. Corruption, violence, political and economical breakdown are changing everything. To worse. But it is hard to accept that. David won’t accept it. His life used to be good.
Three Sides of a Tragedy tells the story when David meets with random crime on the streets of his cruel city. He gets killed over nothing. And the story is told from three points of view: the victim (David), the family and the murderer. It tells a tragic, and sadly common, story of loss in a city that has become the citizens worst enemy.

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Three Sides of a Tragedy I

The story for Three Sides of a Tragedy I continues here. This is the story told from the victim's family side:

--
Sara, David’s wife, sits on the couch facing the door. The kids are still sleeping. It’s almost 4 o’clock in the morning.

She tried calling David on the phone many times. Only the answering machine talks back. She wants to believe that his battery died. But that is not what she really believes. She’s starting to lose control over fear.

     “Just one call please, let me hear your voice”
     “Please come through that door now”

She tried to convince David to stay home that night. Things are getting worse on the streets day by day. But he “knew” what he was doing. He never took that long to return home.

     “Where are you”

Every noise made her jump. Now she was staring at her phone. Waiting for the sweet melody of it ringing and having David on the other side of a conversation.

6:30 a.m. Sara was in the kitchen making some coffee. She called David again. And someone answered the phone. Hope filled her body while she asked David where he was and if he was OK.

     “David? I’m no David… nice phone he had by the way, he won’t be needing it anymore. I can give it back to you for a reasonable price...”

And laughs… the man at the other end of the call just laughed. Sara hung up and broke apart...

---

Lyrics:

he dark wraps the unknown
She's still waiting full of hope
For peace and some joy
The noise she's been wishing for
Staring at the door
Expecting for something to happen
Something must be wrong
Hasn't even got a call

A call
A voice
His voice

A melody is heard
So beautiful and peaceful
And the fire starts on
And it's warmth is all around
But all the frozen thoughts
Are now all melting
And the sleeping ones
Are now all awake

Though them
Wanted
To stay there not seeing the light
Though them
Wanted
To stay there, bad news took them all out

The pain comes along
With all it's wrath and anger
She's trying to kill
What made it come by
But the truth hits hard, there is no way around it
Lying on the floor can't forget anything

(Sara’s voice)
No! No!! Should have told you not to go!
No! Why! Why the hell did you go out and die!

High Level of Paranoia

All she hears is loud music and noise stuck in her head. She can’t make it stop. She closes her eyes wishing to fall asleep. At least for a while. The only thing she sees are strange yellow blobs floating in her brain and changing their brightness. Like dancing in a thick pool of nothing.

     “Go away…”

The song in her head is getting louder and her body feels like it has been invaded by the loud noises. 

     “What’s happening to me?” She asks herself while trying to get up from bed. She manages to get up and decides to go to the bathroom. Stands in front of the mirror and splashes some water on her face. She sees her face but can’t recognize it, she sees the water but can’t feel it. It’s like she is looking at herself from a distance while she is standing just in front of her.

     “What’s happening to me?!! What’s this!! Who is this?”

She’s scared. She’s losing it. Gladly her body was so tired that it just switched off. It's a way of getting some rest...

----

Lyrics:

Wish I knew why i'm so tired
Surely I wouldn’t sleep
The day grows old
And I’m still in bed
Not worried if I’m not getting up
And it’s wrong. Something must be wrong

Wish I knew why I can’t sleep
Surely I would wake up
The night grows old
And I’m still standing
Not worried if I won’t rest any more
And it’s wrong. I know it’s wrong

A Confused Mind

Sara is nearly unconscious. Like hypnotized. Like a puppet. living without the strong will that made her who she used to be.
 
There is a strange creature looking after her. Thin and tall. Ugly. Each time her feelings start to boil up this creature comes to her. Smiling.
 
     “Shush little one, everything is ok. You don’t need to suffer anymore, I’ll take care of you”.. Shhhh… There you go….”
 
It caresses her and puts her in the stale state it wants her to be.
 
The creature doesn’t want her to leave. It needs her where she is right now. And to stay put. Nothing to disturb her…
 
     “SILENCE!!”
 
Sarah kind of likes this “caring” the creature is giving her. It makes her feel numb, which is what she feels she wants. But it doesn’t keep the loving and sweet feelings to pop out every now and then, a glimpse of hope and happiness.
 
     “Shhhh my dear, you don’t need this. You need to rest, shhhh, here…”
 
The fire burning inside of Sara is too strong. There’s people who love and need her. She wants to live! She fights off the creature in a moment of clarity.
 
The creature approaches her with it’s smiles and words, with the promise of a peaceful life. It is tempting, but Sara does not accept it. She can’t accept it. It is her fate that she  needs to accept, and move on.
 
Sara wakes up.

---

Lyrics:

And just with a little smile
You turn around and the puppet starts to cry
With a little smile
You look at it and then it sleeps for a while
The falling light dreams, can make it stop from whining
Don't wake up, 'cause if do so you may start leaving

Please need some silence

Now but the smile never leaves
It just stands there taking care of your dreams
You know it will not leave
So you breathe low and have nothing to fear
But time's running out
Smoke makes you breath uneasy
Must go now, fate is something you may not start regretting

Now but you were not aware
It's doing something you thought it wouldn't dare
You were not aware, that when you turned around it wasn't there
It left you alone
Can believe that it's laughing?
Tears can be spared
When something you could find will truly be smiling

Three SIdes of a Tragedy II

Depression Aid

Memories… Now that’s all Sara has left of David. Every morning she sees him lying beside her when she opens her eyes. She could see where he was, she could see his smile… she could touch him.

After a short while that sense of happiness disappears. Reality kicks in again.

“Oh… well… good morning nonetheless my love”

Sara does everything she is supposed to do during the day. Work, chores. Tries to spend as much time she can with the kids. She couldn’t imagine how it was for them. How they felt.

When the day is almost over Sara feels a slight relief. When everything’s dark she can be wherever she wants and dream whatever she needs. She can feel David again while she hugs his pillow.

“Still smells like him…”

She floats with rejoice in a world of their favorite things. She is in peace for a while.

---

Lyrics:

Open my eyes, light's all around 
I love light, I can see 
Can see where you are, can touch you 
See your beauty and happiness 
Talk and laugh 
Looking each others eyes, I feel fine 
 
What I most love of light 
It's that I know darkness comes 
Instead of seeing you I feel you in silence 
 
Holding you and sleeping 
Flying through the green sky 
dancing with air 
We look like one 
Just like darkness

To Darkness

“Daddy is now a star in the sky” says Sara to her kids.

Tina, the little girl,  goes out everyday when it starts to get dark to look for her dad. She speaks to him and listens to him though he’s not with them anymore…

It’s time for dinner and all three of them sit by the table. The table was set for four people, probably out of habit. Sara wants to burst in tears when she sees that empty space, but manages to fight the urge back. The little boy does not speak much yet. But still asks for his “dada” every now and then.

When Tina starts feeling sad she looks at her mom and feels comfort. Feels safe. Her little brother is always happy and helps her forget the strange feeling she has and helps her play for a while.

Sometimes she forgets though and asks her dad to read her favorite book before she goes to sleep. Or laughs while watching their favorite film and looks in his direction to share the laughter. When this happens she just feels she wants to be with him and hug him.

But she can’t.

At the end she looks at the stars and knows that they will be together again. She’ll become a start someday after all. She just has to wait.

---

 Lyrics:

Time comes
When one’s left behind, to its own
Left forever

Sad is
Now my loneliness
Wish I could
Give you some air

And my mother’s here, and it’s soothing
Little brother’s near, and it warms my heart
And though your silent now, still hear you

Just want to be with you
Want to hold you
Just want to see you dad
But I can’t

Life’s so sleepy now
Time is too still
Guess I’ll just have to wait

And so I will

After the day is over it is time to relax. The chores are done, the kids are in bed and the job for the day is over. The only issue is that when people get to relax, they have time to think and to feel their life again.

Sara does not like when the day ends. The haunting feeling of horror comes back. She tries to sleep nonetheless, she has to sleep…

Her senses are sharp and don’t rest. She hears everything and feels everything. The house noises, her body’s noises. All of that goes directly to her brain, which makes her body stretch and jump every now and then.

She has short moments of sleep but wakes up with fear in her eyes. Everytime. She begs to get some sleep, she begs. She talks to the ghosts surrounding her to please let her be till the morning.

“Take my thoughts with you. Take the night’s noise with you. Let me sleep till morning. Please… will you?”

Many restless sleep nights came along making her feel guilty, scared and helpless. The same ghosts came to visit every night and she begged for peace every time.

--
Lyrics:

The night has seen too much
It’s time to sleep now

Must get rest this night
Just go away it’s all right

Just sleep till dawn

Take my thoughts with you
The night’s noise will you?
No more pain till the first light

Restless Sleep

I'll write the story behind this track soon. Here are the lyrics:

No one will tell me where I went from there
No one will ask me how it feels
No one will see me if I just stood there
No one will hear me if I speak

No one will tell me what is wrong with me
No one will tell me maybe it’s right

No one will feel me when I touch your face
No one will kiss me back again
No one will hug me when I just need it
No more cold beer with my friends

No one will ask me how I really feel
All I can think’s I’m feeling fine

Burden, sentence, who can say what’s worse in this whole world
Timing, awakening, how could I have known what was best after all
No pain, no loss, no gain, no fuss
No more fighting
Feels I’m going home

Feels I’m going home

Dreams of the Moment After

I'll write the story behind this track soon. Here are the lyrics:

Life flew by, can’t say I have learned enough
Can’t say I know what it was about
Tell me something, something true
Tell me things I thought I knew

Life flew  by, can’t say that I know your mind
Can’t say I won’t leave you behind
Tell me something, something now
To do things I thought I knew how

Gently my hand runs through your hair
Feeling it’s the last time I’ll ever be
This close to you again

To be in your arms,feel your smile
Is all I that I need to feel that I'm ok

And now it's time
for me to leave so I bid you farewell
Remembering the lights in our eyes

Farewell
My dearest love, sweetest friend
My heart and my thoughts are yours forever more

Goodbye

Farewell

I'll write the story behind this track soon. Here are the lyrics:

My dreams are so sweet
When you sing to me before I go to sleep

Choices are easy
When I look up to you and ask you what you think

And so glad am I
To have this good hearts caring after me

And now we’re apart
But we’ll meet again

Meet again

Someday

Thanks

First song for Three Sides of a Tragedy III

Lyrics:
She loves him
And She wants him
Will do whatever it takes
To make him stay

He sees her
And he feels her
He treats her well
And leaves her after he gets laid

He was not supposed to go
Why did he leave her
Specially after having his kid

They’re on their own
Mother and son

Goes now through life
Holding hands
With her beautiful boy

She’s cleaning
She’s sweeping
She gives it all it takes
To keep a home

She’s hungry
She does their laundry
While they don’t give a fuck
And barely pay her for her job

And the money’s not enough
How will she feed him
Now she’s beginning to steal

She knows it is wrong
But she's got a son
Then she gets caught
Has to find herself another job

Is this what I ‘ve got?
For breaking my back working hard to take care of my kid

Is this what I got?
For trying to do the best I can inside this misery

Yeah, this is what I got
I sell my body cheap which suffers pain and much distress

I need to change all this
I need to find another way of bringing home all that we need

She wakes up
Puts on some makeup
Goes down a thousand stairs
To get paid

They see her
They tease her
They feel her well
And pay her after they get laid

And it's a humiliating road
And Some of them hurt her
She's lucky to get back in one piece

Climbs up the hill
Until she's home

Tries to draw a smile
Gives him a kiss
And will do all over again

Rough Beginning

t’s not dark yet. But there’s no light either. Not a light he recognizes. The body is buzzing, like if something is trying to get squeezed out of his body. It starts in the legs and goes up to his head. He can’t move but is completely conscious of his body. The buzz is also a sound like a TV with no signal. A sound that forms words in his head. He can listen to his name every now and then. Strange bright yellow blobs pop up in his mind, they move, they disappear and reappear. Different songs run through his head. Really loud. Songs he knew of course. He couldn’t stop them from playing.

He feels he sees his face, but doesn’t. Feels he knows who he is… but doesn’t understand it. The last thread of consciousness is starting to vanish.

Three Sides of a Tragedy I (Reworked)

Vanishing

David lies on the floor. Blood is escaping his body slowly and steadily. One hand rests on his chest and the other one on the floor. He breathes calmly and with a random rhythm. The murderer and its shadows are gone. Even The City lost interest in David. He was alone, cold, dying… but in peace.

Images of his family and friends went through his mind. His wedding day, what a party!

(Smiles weakly)

How his wife kissed him and how she was the perfect fit when they cuddled. How making love with her was the most sublime and intense feeling he ever had.

(Coughs, breathes erratically)

Those two small babies. He was so afraid of carrying them when they were born. They looked so fragile, so helpless. He thought he would break them. How warm they felt when they slept over his chest. He never moved till they woke up. Did not want to disturb their sleep.

(Smiles.A tear escapes his eye)

Now they were bigger. Still fragile though. The independent and rebellious daughter. Strong,  decided and with a huge sense of humor. The sweet musical son, always singing and laughing. Always learning from his sister. They will be alright. They are excellent kids…

“How I wish to see them run at me one last time. While they call me ‘Dad’. One more hug… I’m sorry. I am so sorry. Wasn’t strong enough. And now I’ll leave you on your own...”

David’s eyes get bigger. Hardly breathes now. It is so cold. He feels the end is coming. It is a strange feeling. He wonders what’s next.

Last Regret

David, still on his knees, looks down to his belly. He is bleeding a lot. The attacker is looking at him with a silly smile on its face. A really cold smile. A circle of shadowy creatures surround both of them, like waiting for something.

David touches his wound with both hands, puts them in front of his eyes. He can’t believe it. Why? His eyes start to fill with tears and anger.


“No!! What have you done to me? Is this my blood?”


The creature nods amused and licks its fingers.


“What harm did I to you? Why did you do this to me?”


The creature comes closer, the smile is gone, and looks at David straight into his eyes. David starts crying anxiously.


“I gave you all I have. What else do you want? Got nothing left on me!”


The creature stands tall again. For the first time it shows anger in its face. It’s mouth gets twisted and saliva starts drooling out while it falsely laughs. It gets a bit darker and The City looks at David from above. Cold, but curious. The creature touches David’s face.


“You brag all day with all your shiny stuff and you think that I want only THAT you have in your pockets?”
“I know something you won't give so easily. How about that little rich-boy life of yours.”
“NO PLEASE… don’t…”


David gets stabbed many times. The circle of shadows come closer and start beating him. He struggles for a while. But now everything is calm. He stares into the stars again. And, strangely, a light smile is drawn in his face. Maybe it is true that your life passes through your eyes before you die.

Unpleasantly Surprised

It is a clear night sky full of stars. People are going into their homes, locking the doors behind them and making sure the windows are also closed. David walks through the street, it is dark and decadent. The flickering street lights reveal parts the sidewalk sometimes. The stalking shadows are more evident now. They are watching David from a distance. Every Time a bit of light strikes the street, they retreat. Only to get closer to David when it is dark again.

As he walks, a cloak of darkness subtly hides the stars and helps the shadows to get closer to David, he turns in a corner, into an alley. It is partially lit. A shadow approaches the light and its face is drawn: inhuman, cold, with big eyes, cold smile. He approaches David, sniffing him like a predator to its prey. David empties his pockets and offers everything to the creature. It sees the loot with little interest. He grabs them and continues to threaten him. The fear is reflected in David’s face, a bony hand caresses his chin. From the now dark sky, The City’s face looms over the buildings. It is a face of death. And it is ruthless. David looks up in terror. Its hands control the shadows like puppets. The shadow that harasses David runs its sharp blade-like fingers down his face.


"You’re going nowhere. I’ve got the knife, so stay put and don’t move. Guess you like your life"


It removes its hand from David’s face and gently pulls his shirt. David resists uselessly.


"Just come. I SAID, just come. I’ll take you!”


He runs his blades through David’s abdomen and stabs his stomach while staring into his eyes. He falls on his knees with blank eyes. Lost. The rest of the creatures come out of the shadows as if to feed on their prey.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

David walks happily through his neighborhood. It is a sunny day and there is a lot of people around: couples, families, businessmen and street food trucks. He kicks a small stone around and then leaves it alone.

While David walks new buildings pop up over the horizon. He is growing up, he’s a teenager now. Other teenagers walk with him. Not too happy, but they manage to play with each other. The buildings start to decay a bit while new ones make their way up to the skyline.

He is a young adult now. The sky changes color. The city has changed. It has become a cruel and ruthless creature and David sees it, but does not believe it. He silently walks through the streets while he remembers how he used to play cheerfully on them. Not anymore. He does not trust them anymore.
He continues walking and there are less and less people on the streets as he goes. Tired and suspicious faces everywhere, who try to reach their destination swiftly. Homeless people lying on the sidewalks and garbage piling up on every corner. And glimpses of shadows stalking.


“Should I run? Should I be outside alone? Is someone else seeing this?!”


He’s finally home and opens the door with a slight relief. Goes in and kisses his wife and daughter. His son fell asleep a while ago so he just gives him a quick kiss on the forehead and smiles bursting with love while watching him sleep.

After a nice dinner with his family, David clears the table, washes the dishes together with his wife and gets ready to go out with some old friends. It is Friday after all. His wife is not very happy about it. Her face changes drastically and has a tired and worried look in her eyes.


“Please, stay. It is dangerous now.”
“I’ll be back in a while. I can handle this shit. Love, I’ve done this before. I just want to hang out a bit.”


David picks up his keys, opens the door and says goodbye. Willing to forget that the streets are not cheerful anymore…

Three Sides of a Tragedy (Reworked)

Was Better Before

Man From the Box is a dynamic conceptual prog rock band hailing from the vibrant musical landscape of Gothenburg, Sweden. Started in 2018, as a solo project, the band has quickly carved out a unique niche, blending the intricate, expansive elements from progressive rock, the introspective edge of alternative rock, the gritty essence of grunge, and, sometimes, a bit of the powerful intensity of metal.

​

Man From the Box takes listeners on a sonic journey through intricate musical landscapes, profound lyrical themes, and a seamless fusion of genres. With their innovative sound and relentless passion, they continue to push the boundaries of modern rock music.

Or maybe you saw and heard him moving through the city while playing his acoustic guitar with his friend and musical teammate. Playing and singing songs from The Beatles and Pink Floyd, to Cat Stevens, Soda Stereo and Nirvana. Maybe you paid them for their performance in money... or in beer.

After a long 20 years retirement from music (because life), he came back as Man from the Box. With a similar and refreshed music style and thrilled to start working with music again. Still loyal to the rock, progressive and experimental genres, Man from the Box plays music that feels eclectic, yet direct and personal, merging personal lyricism with unpredictable arrangement.
 
The now Sweden-based artist mastered the skill of blending insightful production values with skilled musicianship and great vocal performances.

“I never stopped thinking and dreaming in music. I feel such a big relief now that I started composing and producing again. It is never late.”

Man from the Box

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