The usual commute home was plagued by traffic congestion and a standstill. Jerry yearned to escape the confines of the car. He had just finished a grueling twelve-hour shift, not for the money, but to complete a project. Sometimes, working for hours helped him distract himself from his life’s complexities. His recent life had become intricate, and thoughts of his ex-girlfriend lingered in his mind.

Frustrated, he banged his hands against the steering wheel, hoping music would soothe him. He flipped on his favorite station, WKPZ, the 90s alternative rock station that transported him back to his youth. The DJ was visibly excited about something, eager to move on to the next song and end the broadcast.

Jerry’s eyes widened in disbelief as he recognized the song playing. It was his ex’s favorite, even though he detested country music. The song was “When You Say Nothing at All.” Why would they play this on this station? He flipped the station, but every station he turned to played the same song. Exasperated, he turned off the radio and stared at it until the traffic began to move again.

After the arduous drive home, Jerry entered his apartment, flicked on the lights, and headed to the kitchen to make supper. He yelled at Alexa, “Play 90s alternative rock!” Alexa responded with a simple “Playing 90s alternative rock,” but instead of alternative rock, the same song played. Frustrated, he told Alexa to stop and finished making his grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Exhausted, he decided to watch some television and get some sleep since he had to wake up early.

He entered the living room, placed his food on the table in front of the couch, and turned on the television. He flipped it to ESPN, hoping to catch the baseball game. It was the playoffs, and his team was in the game. However, when he reached the station, he found no game on the television. Instead, his ex-girlfriend’s face appeared, and she began singing that infuriating song he detested.

Frustrated, he tried to turn off the television, but it refused to comply. The song played incessantly, driving him to the brink of insanity.

Kneeling in front of the television, tears streaming down his face, he apologized profusely. He confessed his actions and begged her to stop playing the song. Finally, the song ended, but she spoke to him, demanding that he report her to the police.

Jerry picked up the phone and confessed to murdering his girlfriend, Jenny. He was determined to face the consequences of his actions. After confessing and being sentenced to life in prison, he was taken to the county jail.

On his first night in his cell, lying on his bunk, he heard music coming from down the block. He couldn’t make out the tune until he heard the first line of the song: “It’s amazing how you can speak right to my heart.” Overwhelmed with emotion, he screamed and collapsed into the corner, tears streaming down his face.