Atlas: Eight

I remember the minute
It was like a switch was flipped
I was just a kid who grew
Up strong enough
To pick this armor up
And suddenly it fit

God, that was so long ago
Long ago, long ago
I was little, I was weak and perfectly naive
And I grew up too quick

Now you won't see
All that I have to lose
And all I've lost in the fight
To protect it
I won't let you in
I swore never again
I can't afford, no
I refuse to be rejected

I want to break these bones
'Til they're better
I want to break them right
And feel alive
You were wrong
You were wrong, you were wrong
My healing needed more than time

When I see fragile things
Helpless things, broken things
I see the familiar
I was little, I was weak
I was perfect too
Now I'm a broken mirror

But I can't let you see
All that I have to lose
All I've lost in the fight to protect it
I can't let you in, I swore never again
I can't afford to let
Myself be blindsided

I'm standing guard, I'm falling apart
And all I want is to trust you
Show me how to lay my sword down
For long enough to let you through

Here I am, pry me open
What do you want to know?
I'm just a kid who
Grew up scared enough
To hold the door shut
And bury my innocence

But here's a map, here's a shovel
Here's my Achilles' heel
I'm all in, palms out, I'm at your mercy
Now and I'm ready to begin
I am strong, I am strong
I am strong enough to let you in

I'll shake the ground with all my might
I will pull my whole heart
Up to the surface
For the innocent, for the vulnerable
I'll show up on the
Front lines with a purpose
And I'll give all I have
I'll give my blood, I'll give my sweat
An ocean of tears will
Spill for what is broken
I'm shattered porcelain
Glued back together again
Invincible like I've never been