The energy backstage that night was electric.

The crowd in St. Louis was packed wall to wall—screaming, stomping, chanting the band’s name even before the house lights dropped. You could feel the sound through your feet like thunder rolling under concrete.

Emily stood offstage-left in the narrow black alleyway of cables, amps, and taped-down floor markings, her brand-new headset tilted slightly on her head. It was a little big, and Gabriel had jokingly slapped a sticker on it that said “Starcatcher Control Tower” in Sharpie.

Thane handed her a folded cue list and tapped the page lightly. “Follow along. Mark’s running the board tonight, but he’s giving you the nod for Cue Thirty-Two. It’s the lighting swell just before Field Notes From the Stars.”

Emily blinked. “Wait — I call the cue?”

“You’ve earned it,” Thane said, his tone calm and even. “Besides, I trust you.”

She gripped the paper like it was sacred and slowly nodded. “Okay. I can do this.”

The first few songs passed in a blur. Gabriel was on fire—leaping across the stage like a caffeinated meteor, bass thrumming so deep it rattled bolts. Cassie belted like she was channeling lightning. Rico and Jonah moved in perfect sync, and Maya ripped through her solos like a woman possessed. And Mark’s lights? They painted the air in rhythm and color, moving the crowd like puppets on invisible strings.

Emily watched it all from her post, eyes on the cue list, fingers lightly tapping her thigh to the beat.

Then… the acoustic guitar started.

Cassie stepped forward. The crowd fell silent.

Emily’s heart kicked into overdrive.

Cue 32 – “Starfall Fade-In” – 12-beat delay – swell from 20% to 90% on amber and white backlight wash.

Mark glanced at her across the dim corridor and gave her the tiniest nod. She lifted the headset mic to her lips, voice shaking but steady.

“… Standby Cue Thirty-Two… and… go.”

The lighting rig responded like it had been waiting for her.

A soft swell of golden-white light bathed the stage from behind, creating silhouettes of the band in a quiet halo. The crowd gasped. Phones went up. Some fans actually sobbed.

Onstage, Gabriel looked toward the wings—and winked.

Cassie began to sing.

“The world gets loud…
but stars don’t speak in screams…”

Emily’s hands shook, just a little. Not from fear. From wonder.

She kept her headset on, staying quiet, listening to Thane and Mark calling cues around her—so much sound, so much coordination. But she had done her part. She was in it. Not watching from the outside anymore.

When the house lights finally came up and the band took their bows, Emily took off the headset slowly… and smiled wider than she ever had before.

Mark passed her on his way off the lighting platform and said, “Nice call.”

Diesel was already waiting by the bus with a cookie in one hand and a proud, dad-joke grin on his face. “Told ya, Starcatcher.”