Gemotions

The weight room hummed with the rhythmic clang of iron. Ben, a powerlifter, watched the coach work with another lifter on the bench press. The coach had asked him to try Olympic weightlifting.

He gripped the bar, feeling the cold steel against his skin. His breath caught in his throat. He watched the other lifter, an unfamiliar tightness building in his chest. His usual focus felt scattered. He found himself measuring the other man’s form, each lift a testament to something he felt he was missing.