Gemotions

The recording studio was his prison. Max hadn't been home in weeks, obsessing over the final touches on his new album. The pressure to succeed was crushing. He slumped in the control room, his body aching, his mind a jumbled mess.

Suddenly, through the studio monitors, he heard the familiar intro to "Burning Bridges," his most famous song. It was being played on a radio station, a live performance, a cover. The singer's voice was strong, polished, confident.

He listened, his jaw tight. The arrangement was different, the tempo faster, the energy higher. He felt a wave of nausea. He took a long, slow breath, trying to steady himself. He felt a strange tingling in his fingers. He switched off the monitors, the silence almost worse than the song.