the velvet curtain (8)

Yet, as the thought of eternal fame crossed his mind, a flicker of doubt arose. Amadeus, despite his grand demeanor, exuded an air of sorrow. Was this immortality a blessing, or a curse?

Elliot began to experience strange visions—glimpses of the past. He saw himself on the stage, performing scenes he’d never rehearsed, from plays that had never been finished. He felt the heat of stage lights that had long since burned out, and heard the applause of audiences that no longer existed.

And then there were the whispers—unsettling and ever-present. They echoed in his mind, urging him to stay, to give himself to the theater completely. Days passed, or perhaps it was weeks.