Gemotions

The sports equipment, usually a source of comfort, now felt like a prison. He stood on the field, his muscles rigid. Coach Miller, his lifelong guide, was gone. A memo on the bulletin board. A sudden departure. He blinked, fighting back tears.

He picked up a baseball, the leather rough against his palm. He needed to run. He felt trapped. He wanted to scream at the sky. A lump formed in his throat. He threw the ball as hard as he could, the sound of the impact on the glove echoing in the empty stadium.