Gemotions

He stood in front of the net, the baseball glove heavy on his hand. "We need you at catcher, Ben," the coach had said. Ben had always played outfield. Catching was a completely different beast. His stomach churned. The idea of being crouched behind the plate, taking the full force of a fastball, was not appealing.

He glanced at the pitcher, already warming up. The familiar fear of the unknown began to creep into his mind. He pulled the glove tighter, the leather offering little comfort. He imagined the sting of the ball in his hand.

In the first inning, a wild pitch whizzed past his head. He flinched instinctively. His legs felt like lead as he tried to block the ball. The umpire yelled, "Safe!" He felt a surge of frustration, his whole body was filled with a sense of apprehension.