Gemotions

The weight room was empty, save for Leo. The clanging of the weights echoed in the silence, but he felt none of the usual satisfaction. The words of the coach, "We're going with a different strategy," replayed in his head. The disappointment gnawed at him.

He picked up the bar, the cold metal against his calloused hands. He barely moved it, the lift weak and incomplete. His body felt heavy, his muscles unresponsive. He could feel the frustration building inside him, a pressure building behind his eyes.

He dropped the bar with a clang, the sound reverberating through the empty room. He wiped his face with a towel and walked away. The exit felt like a long, long road.