air crackled with anticipation, a sea of faces blurred beyond the footlights. My hear

wasn't

ly constructed demo of my song, "Heartland Echoes," with a session singer's guide vocals woven t

s

r gleaming under the spotlights. Jake Myers, seated at the judges' table, gave he

e began

s

land E

red my life into. Her voice, technically proficient but lac

d was ca

afening. She looked towards me, a flicker of something ugly – triumph

hone. "That song... it means everything

ainful... so shocking... that someone else in this competiti

ameras swiveled to me. The live feed, I knew,

e, his expression a perfect mas

a judge, and as someone who once believed in your talent, I a

visible on a side

she ST

a fr

her

s eyes cold. "I think it's bes

this time, something else was there t

had n