Gemotions

The news hit David like a physical blow. The coach, Coach Miller, gone. Just like that. After all the years, all the training, all the sacrifices. David’s gut twisted. He stood frozen, the basketball in his hand feeling heavy, useless. He clutched it, as if for support.

He walked onto the court, the echoing silence a stark contrast to the usual cacophony of shouts and bouncing balls. He looked at the empty bleachers, the familiar lines of the court suddenly distorted, wrong. He tossed the ball, it bouncing listlessly before coming to a stop. He couldn’t even bring himself to retrieve it. A deep weariness settled over him, the weight of the loss, the uncertainty of the future.