Gemotions

From his perch at the back of the studio, Mark watched the band rehearse his old hit, *Echoes of Yesterday*. They were talented, technically proficient, but missing something vital. A spark. The song sounded lifeless. A hollow shell of its former self. He picked at a loose thread on his jeans.

He'd given up on his own career, sold out to the corporate world, traded passion for security. He’d thought it was the sensible choice. Now, watching these young musicians stumble through his masterpiece, he was overwhelmed. The music did not match the inner turmoil he carried.

He felt a deep, profound regret. He needed to leave, to escape this, to escape the emptiness.