Gemotions

The referee's whistle, usually a sound of excitement, now felt like a cruel jab. “Jackson, you’re in goal.” Jackson froze. He’d always played center forward, his speed and agility key to the team's offensive success. The goalkeeper position, though, was a foreign land. He had never trained to stop shots.

His face flushed crimson. The other players looked at him, surprised. He felt a strange combination of fear and anger bubbling within him. The familiar thrill of the game evaporated, replaced by a cold dread. He was being asked to reinvent himself, and he felt utterly unequipped. His cleats felt heavy on the damp grass as he walked to the net.