Gemotions

The coach had that look in his eyes again, the one that meant change. "We're moving you to the back line, Maria." Maria's shoulders slumped. She was a midfielder, a runner, the engine of the team. The back line was about defense, a role she hated.

Her hands fidgeted with her jersey. She felt the pressure of the new expectation. Her usual excitement for the game felt replaced by a heavy sense of dread.

The field was a maze she couldn't escape. Her teammates, their positions unchanged, seemed like distant figures. The air around her felt thick, difficult to breathe.