Gemotions

"Grace, you’re playing point guard this week," Coach Davis announced, his voice booming across the basketball court. Grace stared, the bounce of the ball momentarily forgotten in her hands. She had always been a center.

Her muscles protested with every move, their usual speed and power gone. A dull ache radiated from her shoulders to her knees. She felt like she was wading through molasses. The quick cuts and the constant ball-handling felt herculean.

She barely managed a smile for Coach, but inside, a vast emptiness had opened. The court felt vast, the expectations burdensome. She missed the focused, predictable nature of her old role.