Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the empty pool deck. Liam stared at the water, its surface reflecting a distorted version of his own anxious face. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the rhythmic lapping of the water against the tiles. The chlorine smell, usually a comfort, now felt like a suffocating shroud.

His coach had asked him to stay behind after practice. He felt the familiar tightening in his chest, a sensation that had become a constant companion these past few weeks.

He watched the coach approaching, his stride deliberate. The words began to form in his mind. He was preparing to hear something that would change everything. He wished the sun would just swallow him up.