Gemotions

"We're putting you at second base, Sarah." The softball coach's announcement felt like a physical blow. Sarah, the team's pitcher, felt the ground shift beneath her feet. She was the one in control, the one throwing the pitches, dictating the game.

She felt a wave of nausea. Her hands went numb. This was not right. Years of training, of perfecting her curveball, of learning to command the game from the mound, were suddenly irrelevant.

She stared at the coach, her eyes blazing, the urge to scream rising within her. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Then, turning on her heel, she walked toward the bench, the weight of the coach’s decision pressing down on her.