First Rhythm in the Quiet

Everything was still. The dark wooden boards stretched under my sneakers, facing a silent curtain of deep red velvet. I felt a sudden warmth in my fingers. My right hand flexed, gripping the small microphone just a little tighter. To see if it was real, I tapped the toe of my left sneaker against the hollow wood floor. A soft, clear click echoed into the empty hall. My chest rose, finding a rhythm of its own. I let my left arm relax slightly at my side, standing tall on the boards, completely awake.