Gemotions

"You seem… flat," the volleyball coach said, his voice hesitant. "We're moving you to libero." Jake mumbled a confirmation, the words barely escaping his lips. He trudged onto the court, the hard floor feeling alien under his feet. He felt a constant heaviness, a lack of pep in his step. The change was a blow. He was the team's star hitter.

He watched the ball, it seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. He wasn’t as quick. He was out of position on the block, a split-second too slow to react. His dives felt clumsy and uncoordinated. His usual powerful hits were absent, replaced with weak, floating attempts. The court seemed a mile wide.