A younger, messier version of himself appeared on screen, sitting in the very same chair he sat in now. "If you’re watching this," his younger self said with a tired grin, "it means you finally cleared out the old cloud drive. Stop looking backward, Elias. The best songs haven't been written yet. Delete this and go pick up your guitar."
Inside weren't concert clips or backstage antics. Instead, there was a single video file labeled “Message_to_Future.mp4.” He hit play.
Elias stared at the frozen frame for a long moment. Then, he closed the window, dragged to the trash, and reached for the dusty Gibson leaning against the wall.
He didn’t remember creating it. He didn’t remember saving it. But the timestamp was from the summer of 2016—the last year his old band had been together. With a mix of nostalgia and hesitation, he clicked.