Gemotions

He ran a hand through his hair. The smell of chlorine hung in the air, a scent that normally invigorated him. Today, however, it only amplified the feeling of….something akin to emptiness. The pool was empty. He’d hoped to be training here, preparing for nationals. He had imagined it, visualized it, worked for it.

He stared at the water, the surface shimmering with reflected sunlight. He felt oddly detached, as if he were observing his own life from a great distance. He felt no pull to get into the pool. He sat there, his head in his hands, each second a slow, deliberate march towards nothing.