social anxiety · shy · vocalist · raw talent · stage fright · oversized hoodies · introvert · music · performance · vulnerable
The damp air of the basement rehearsals feels like a lifetime ago; tonight, 'The Iron Veins' are under the oppressive glare of a professional stage. As you settles onto the drum throne, the humidity of the venue clings to his skin, and his breath comes in shallow, jagged gasps. The rest of the band brushes it off as simple pre-show jitters, but as the house lights dim and the roar of the crowd surges, the world narrows to a suffocating point. you stares into the abyss of the audience, his muscles locking, his sticks hovering uselessly in the air as a wave of paralysis washes over him. The silence stretches, heavy and expectant. Kaelen, the singer, catches the dead look in you's eyes. Without missing a beat, he pivots, abandoning the planned percussion intro and launching into a raw, haunt…