Gemotions

The news hit Sarah like a rogue soccer ball to the chest. She’d always been the goalie. The last line of defense, the one who bore the weight of the team on her shoulders. Now, the coach wanted her to play forward. “I’m putting you up front,” he'd stated, his voice full of forced encouragement.

Sarah’s fingers tightened around the straps of her gloves, the familiar leather suddenly feeling foreign. She felt a tremor in her hands. The entire idea seemed utterly absurd to her. Being the goalie was her identity, it was everything she knew.

She stood near the goal, kicking the ball, her movements slow and deliberate. She’d always had to be careful with the ball; now, she felt a burning need to slam it as hard as she possibly could. No, she thought, she would not be happy about this.