Gemotions

"You didn't make it," his sister, Maya, had said, her voice laced with a mixture of pity and disappointment. He just shrugged, staring at the ceiling. The news hadn't exactly surprised him. He'd known his performance in the qualifiers had been less than stellar. The hours he was supposed to spend running laps had become a comfortable ritual of sleep. Now, the weight of his inaction settled on him. He felt like his limbs were made of lead.

Maya began to speak again about opportunities. More tryouts, a new league. He tuned her out, the words blurring into a meaningless hum. Everything felt like too much effort. He wanted nothing more than to stay in his current state, slumped against the cushions, lost in the quiet darkness of his thoughts.