Gemotions

The pool water felt cold against Maya's skin as the coach announced the change. "We're putting you on the backstroke." She had always been a butterfly swimmer, reliant on the strength and style she had cultivated. The thought of turning around, of not facing the end of the pool, of seeing the world in an unfamiliar way, filled her with unease.

She felt a knot in her stomach, a feeling of being exposed. She didn't like having her back to the direction she was going. She needed to feel the momentum, the speed, the forward motion.

The practice was a struggle. Her strokes felt awkward, her rhythm disrupted. She craved the familiarity of her old position, the comfort of knowing what was ahead.