Family is a lie

That a young girl tells herself that night

Her mother closes the door, but she can’t shut out that fight

Justifications and pretenses are all but few

She tells herself it will be the last, but if she only knew

Their words are bullets and they don’t care where they go

I’m just collateral damage to the ones who should matter most

When the gunfire fades they pretend that it’s alright

But when you’re born into a war you can’t let go of the fight

Fast forward a few years and it’s happening again

Her mother has let go, accepted the fact that they’re just not enough for him

They think she doesn’t remember, is too dumb to see the signs

The fact is she knows more than both of them combined

But for now she plays the part, doesn’t let on what she knows, doesn’t let on that she can’t really let go

As the years pass by, her home becomes her prison

A cage of apathy and hatred forced upon her through derision

It’s all her fault, that’s what he’d like her to believe

How terrible of a person she is for just wanting to leave

How terrible of a daughter she is for being who he made her

How terrible of a daughter she is for just wanting to escape her

Their words are bullets and they don’t care where they go

I’m just collateral damage to the ones who should matter most

When the gunfire fades they pretend that it’s alright

But when you’re born into a war you can’t let go of the fight

They can hate me all they want, it can’t do more harm

I’m just the collateral damage that went too far

The worst parts of the person each of them hates

A civilian causality turned martyr for rage

Their words are bullets and they don’t care where they go

I’m just collateral damage to the ones who should matter most

When the gunfire fades they pretend it’s alright

But when you’re born into a war sooner or later there’s nothing left inside but the fight