Gemotions

The locker room felt like a tomb. Ethan stared at his reflection, the face staring back at him a stranger. He'd imagined this moment a thousand times, always with a different outcome. Now, the harsh reality was all that mattered.

He ripped his jersey from the hook, the fabric tearing slightly. The familiar scent of sweat and cologne, once a source of comfort, now filled him with revulsion. The sounds of the other players, their laughter, their camaraderie, grated on his nerves.

He felt the tremors start in his hands, then spread through his body. He wanted to shout, to break something, to escape this suffocating space. He stumbled out of the locker room, the bright sunlight a painful assault on his senses. The world felt too loud, too bright, too real.