Gemotions

The air in the weight room was thick with the metallic tang of sweat and iron. David felt a strange heaviness, a leaden weight that pressed down on his chest. Coach Peterson had pulled him aside after practice, the usual jovial facade replaced by a look he couldn't quite interpret. The news had come quickly, a blunt statement that left him reeling. The feeling was a strange one, like being underwater, the world muffled and distorted.

He gripped the barbell, his knuckles turning white. He'd put in the hours, pushing himself to the limit. The idea that all the work could mean nothing was a hard pill to swallow.

He looked at his hands, calloused and strong. Were they not enough? He suddenly felt so far removed from himself. Everything was a blur.