Gemotions

The bus rumbled along, taking Daniel back home. Headphones on, he had hoped to find some peace. Then, the familiar intro blasted through the earbuds. His song, “City Lights,” blaring over a bad cover. He ripped the headphones off, the silence immediate.

He wanted to scream. It was a cheap, karaoke version, sung flat and without any feeling. The musician’s voice was too high, too slick. Every note was off, every phrasing wrong. This was an insult.

He threw the headphones into his backpack. He looked out the window and took a deep breath. His hands were clenched into fists, the knuckles white. He would write a better song.