Gemotions

The cafe buzzed with Friday night chatter, the clinking of mugs, the hiss of the espresso machine. Elias, hunched in a corner, barely registered the noise until the opening chords of *his* song, "Fading Echoes," sliced through the air. He stiffened. His coffee sloshed over the rim of the paper cup, staining his fingers.

His jaw tightened. He hadn't heard this song performed live in years. A young woman with a vibrant red scarf stood center stage, her voice a near carbon copy of his own recording. He gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white.

He considered leaving, disappearing into the anonymity of the crowded street outside. But his feet felt rooted to the floor. He watched, a knot forming in his stomach, as she sailed through the lyrics, her performance flawless. A chill crept up his spine.