One-eighty on the 401, pawn slip by the shifterThermal ink still warm, every vibration quickerThree names need paying, one hour to collectCash ain't even landed, every dollar got a debtSix at the counter, gave away what I ownedPrinter spat the proof, then I flew out the zoneSeven called Dukes, heard the help in her toneThen the list of every favour followed straight through the phoneI hate being managed, still I reach when it's tightEvery rescue buys a say in what I do with my lifeEight called a friend with a promise and a dateNine called the man who'd been making me waitSaid the money was coming, said the transfer was setTold three different people they were first on the debtEvery name in my phone became a route to the cashEvery bridge got crossed like it couldn't collapseI wasn't building money, I was buying an hourBut an hour with a balance made me feel back in powerPrint—tear.Call—collect.Cash got counted before I had it yet.Print—tear.Promise—extend.Every quick fix needed one more friend.PAID BY MIDNIGHT (MIDNIGHT)Collect, collect, every line went liveCash hit twelve, all the calls went quietPaid by midnight—gone by onePAID BY MIDNIGHT (COLLECT)Pawn slip curled with the ink still freshPaid one man, put the rest on a betPaid by midnight—back owing by sixMoney came through and my shoulders went wideWhole week feeling small got erased for the nightPaid one man just to make that line stopSpent a little first so I still looked on topOne quick wager, then a second to chaseFirst one missed, so the next had to save itPut more in fast when the whole thing droppedCalled it getting even, couldn't let it stopBy one, nothing left but the proof I got paidAnd the pawn slip bending by the side of the brakeI got what I wanted; it lasted an hourThe money wasn't money, it was borrowed-out powerWhen it left, every promise came back twice as loudEvery hand I had reached for was reaching back nowI blamed the bad odds, every man paying lateThen started making calls for the next escapePrint—tear.Call—collect.Every lifeline carrying somebody's debt.Print—tear.Name—extend.Every strained bridge got crossed again.PAID BY MIDNIGHT (MIDNIGHT)Collect, collect, every line went liveCash hit twelve, all the calls went quietPaid by midnight—gone by onePAID BY MIDNIGHT (COLLECT)Pawn slip curled with the ink still freshPaid one man, put the rest on a betPaid by midnight—back owing by sixThe ink starts fading before the debt does.That little paper knows the whole trick:something real leaves my hands,the money shows up,everybody breathes for one minute,then the money leavesand the paper stays.Pawn at six, call at seven, chase at eightCash at nine, split at ten, move the dateEleven feel rich, midnight debts get fedTwelve-oh-five, one more chance in my headWin one back, raise stake, watch the whole thing swingLose half, chase half, start promisingCall one cousin, one friend, then Dukes againSwear this is the last time I need to dependEvery person turns resource when the pressure gets nearEvery "no" sounds personal, every "yes" buys fearI say I move alone while a whole chain strainsHolding up the version of me that looks paidThermal roll spinning, paper tongue running longEvery line is a timestamp proving something went wrongStill the next bit of cash makes the old thought hit:Get it by midnight—this time I keep itPAID BY MIDNIGHT (MIDNIGHT)COLLECT, COLLECT, EVERY LINE WENT LIVECASH HIT TWELVE, ALL THE CALLS WENT QUIETPAID BY MIDNIGHT—GONE BY ONEPAID BY MIDNIGHT (COLLECT)Pawn slip curled with the ink still freshPAID ONE MAN, PUT THE REST ON A BETPaid by midnight—back owing by sixPawn slip by the shifter.Ink going grey.New amount.New name.Same deadline.Need it by midnight.
