First Strum

The quiet stage felt steady beneath my boots. Took a breath... and realized my fingers weren't fixed in place anymore. I eased my right thumb down against the acoustic guitar strung across my chest. A soft, tiny vibration hummed right through the wood. Down by my boot tip, a thick black stage cable lay coiled on the planks. I gave it a gentle tap with the toe of my boot. Solid. Real. The purple light settled easy across the boards, and for now, I just stood there, taking in the stillness.