Gemotions

The venue was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of stale beer and anticipation. Liam, usually brimming with confidence before a gig, found himself strangely detached, watching the band from the wings. Then, the opening chords – his chords – erupted from the stage. His song, “Whispers in the Wind.”

He stumbled back, his pulse quickening. A knot formed in his stomach, twisting and turning. The lead singer was someone he vaguely recognized, a local performer he'd crossed paths with a few times. The singer's voice was strong, but somehow... wrong. It lacked the vulnerability, the aching longing he’d written into every line.

He felt a cold sweat prickle his skin. He backed away, bumping into a table and knocking over a pint glass. The glass shattered, the sound barely registering over the music. He needed air, needed to be anywhere but here. He found the nearest exit and fled into the night, the melody chasing him down the street.