Gemotions

He slammed his locker shut, the metallic clang echoing the emptiness in his chest. Liam had envisioned himself wearing the crimson jersey, running onto the field under the stadium lights. Football was his everything.

His teammates, giddy with excitement, filtered past, their cheers and congratulations a painful symphony. He offered a tight smile, the muscles in his face protesting the effort.

He wanted to scream, to lash out, to break something. Instead, he forced himself to walk, each step a lead weight, his shoulders slumped, toward the exit, the setting sun painting the sky with a mocking brilliance he couldn’t appreciate.