Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful and talented Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Check out her blog for more information by clicking here. The challenge is to write 100 words based on a weekly photo prompt. Thank you to all who take the time to read, like or comment.

PHOTO PROMPT © Björn Rudberg

Encore

He hadn’t been good enough. That was how he comforted himself.

The truth was he hadn’t tried hard enough. And that was harder to take. It had become a recurring theme: giving up when things get difficult.

The vinyl crackled like kindling before Tchaikovsky’s score ignited and roared into life. He drew a calming breath, feeling the reassuring spring of the stage beneath his feet and the intense heat of innumerable lights burning down with expectation.

He only danced in his dreams. The apologetic clunk and whir of the retreating turntable arm repeatedly failed to mask the absence of applause.