Gemotions

It was as if the world tilted on its axis when the coach announced the final cuts. Her name wasn't there. She felt a wave of nausea sweep over her, threatening to topple her. All the sacrifices, the hours of practice, the relentless pressure – all for nothing.

She kept her gaze on her hands, twisting them nervously. The other candidates were celebrating, their faces alight with joy. She felt like a ghost, a spectator in her own life. She tried to smile, to offer a polite congratulations, but her lips felt numb.

She needed air, to flee. She turned and began walking, her steps quickening until she was running, escaping the scene of her failure.