Gemotions

The concert hall buzzed with pre-show energy. Finn fiddled with the strap of his guitar case, a nervous tic. His stomach churned. He had been planning to enjoy the show. He was now hyper-aware of every single thing. He had seen the picture online. It was his work, inked permanently onto someone’s back. A powerful symbol, now reduced to a commodity.

He scanned the crowd, his eyes darting from face to face. The stage lights, normally a source of comfort, now felt like spotlights, exposing his every movement. He felt he needed to find them, to question them. Was it a fan? A thief? A statement?

He caught a glimpse of a familiar face. He remembered the woman from the art show, the one who’d stared at his work for an hour. She was wearing a low-backed dress. His heart skipped a beat, then hammered against his ribs.