Gemotions

"You're on the mound, Emily." The softball coach's pronouncement was a hammer blow. Emily, the team's reliable second baseman, felt her world tilt. Pitching was a realm of solitary pressure, of bearing the entire weight of the game on each throw.

Her palms began to sweat. She could feel her pulse racing. The cheers from the other players were a distant buzz. All she could focus on was the empty space between her and home plate.

Her mouth felt dry, her throat tight. She gripped her glove so hard her knuckles were white. She tried to swallow, but her throat constricted. She took a deep breath, fighting the urge to turn and run.