Gemotions

The concert hall buzzed with anticipation. Emily, a freelance composer, should have been radiant, basking in the glow of her first orchestral debut. Instead, a leaden weight pressed down on her. The program listed a "David Moreau" as the composer of the night's piece. Her piece. The air around her thrummed with a discordant note.

She wandered towards the balcony and watched the audience fill the seats. Her hands clenched and unclenched. She felt utterly disconnected, a ghost in her own story.

Her heartbeat quickened as the lights dimmed, readying for the first notes.