Gemotions

He gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, the highway blurring past in a rush of headlights. Ethan hated driving, hated the endless expanse of the road. He was a truck driver now, hauling freight across the country, a world away from the songwriter he once was. His band had broken up years ago, the dream of stardom shattered.

The radio crackled, the static giving way to a familiar guitar intro. *Desert Wind*. His song. A female artist with a smooth, commercial voice was singing it, the melody slicked up for the masses.

Ethan felt a knot tighten in his stomach. The song, once born from his own pain and solitude, felt hollow now, reduced to a catchy tune. He slammed the radio off, the sudden silence a welcome relief. His vision seemed to tunnel, everything around him distant, as though he was slowly sinking into the seat. He drove on, the weight of his unfulfilled potential pressing down on him.