Gemotions

The basketball court seemed enormous. Sarah dribbled the ball, the rhythmic thump a hollow sound. Normally, Liam would be there, trash-talking and laughing, his competitive spirit matched only by his unwavering support. Now, the space was vacant, a gaping hole.

She kept playing, pushing herself harder, but the joy was gone. Her shots clanked off the rim, her passes sailed wide. Each missed basket felt like a small failure, a small echo of the bigger one to come.

The sky had darkened, the clouds gathering. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. Sarah finally stopped playing and leaned against the fence, the chill seeping into her bones.