Gemotions

The apartment was cluttered, filled with the detritus of a life slowly unraveling. Liam had let the bills pile up, let the dishes stack in the sink. He hadn't left the house in days. He had given up on his dreams a long time ago.

He heard the music first, a faint sound filtering through his closed window. He stumbled to the window and threw it open. A band was playing on the street, drawing a small crowd. They were playing his song, *Midnight Serenade*. A young, vibrant band, full of energy and skill.

He stood there, frozen. His heart felt heavy, a sense of suffocation welling up inside. The music felt buoyant, while he felt anchored. The lyrics, the melodies, the heart of the song, belonged to him, but now were out of his reach. He closed the window, shutting out the world, and retreated back into the darkness of his room.