Gemotions

The concert hall buzzed with anticipation. He was in the audience, hiding near the back. The spotlight landed on the headliner, a polished pop star. The opening notes of his song filled the space. The crowd erupted in cheers. He could see that the arrangement was far more elaborate, the vocals heavily autotuned. He felt a knot of distress tighten in his chest. He clutched his hands together, his fingers interlaced. The performance was flawless, yet cold and detached. He imagined himself on stage, and felt a rush of something akin to shame, replaced with a painful self-awareness. He slipped out before the encore.