The Escape Artist
Stray From the Path Lyrics

When I was nineteen I saw my girlfriend get beaten
At 19 years old, I witnessed my girlfriend being physically abused

She had black and blues that revealed the mistreatment
The bruises on her body were clear evidence of the abuse she endured

Feeling trapped in hell when you want to escape
Being in an abusive relationship makes you feel trapped and helpless, even when you want to leave

It’s crazy in her eyes it’s a common place
Even though the abuse is horrific, it has become a normal part of her life and she almost seems numb to it

Remember that night there was that fight and I heard those screams from upstairs
I vividly recall the night when I heard screams from upstairs, indicating a violent altercation was taking place

Man we were only in our teenage years and fucking alcohol already abused us
Despite being young, we were already being negatively impacted by alcohol abuse

It was too much
The traumatic experience was overwhelming and difficult to bear

Bloody mary breakfast, dinner and lunch
The person responsible for the abuse was heavily drinking, even at mealtimes

Done turning water to wine
I am no longer going to try to make things better or fix the situation

You should have never crossed her line
The abuser should have never pushed their victim to the point of causing harm

This dare I say some might call a family
The group of people involved in the abuse, whether by committing it or enabling it, may be seen as a dysfunctional family

Run on tears and half-hearted apologies
This dysfunctional family runs on insincere apologies and tears, rather than genuine concern and care

And forgiveness only given from fear
The victim may only forgive the abuser out of fear, rather than genuine forgiveness and reconciliation

These common events roll off ice-cold shoulders
People involved in the cycle of abuse may appear unfazed by the common occurrences, even if they are hurtful and traumatizing

Like water on wax
The hurtful events may seem to just glide off people's shoulders, like water slipping off of wax

But it digs like a thorn in your side
Despite appearing unfazed, the hurtful events of the abuse still cause pain and trauma to those involved

Paralyze paralyzed
The trauma of the abuse can paralyze someone, whether figuratively or literally

I bet a part of you died
The traumatic experience may have taken a part of someone's personality or spirit away

I tried so hard to steal the fear from your eyes
I made an effort to help the victim overcome their fear and trauma, but it was difficult and challenging

Felt like a part of me died
Witnessing someone go through abuse can be traumatic and difficult, to the point that it may feel like a part of oneself has died

Remember the night, the ambulance and the fight?
I recall the night of a violent altercation that resulted in calling for an ambulance

Tell us what happened there
There is a need for the truth of the event to be disclosed

We’re in the E.R. and you’re still keeping secrets
Even as medical professionals attend to the victim, they may still be keeping secrets or refusing to disclose the truth

We see that gash on your brow
The physical injury sustained is clearly visible to those around, indicating the severity of the situation

Mary’s bloody cause she’s drinking too much
The person responsible for the abuse, Mary, is heavily intoxicated and it may be a contributing factor to the violence

Too afraid to show your scars
The victim may feel embarrassed or ashamed of the scars and injuries they have sustained as a result of the abuse, making them too afraid to show them

But girl you deserve an applause
Despite the fear and trauma, the victim deserves praise and recognition for their strength and resilience

No better time than now to stand tall stand strong
It is important for the victim to be empowered and stand tall in the face of abuse

Stand tall stand strong
Reiterating the need for the victim to stand tall and strong in the face of adversity