August 27, 2034

Stepping through the portal feels like being pulled through a vortex of light and energy. My entire body tingles, as if every molecule is being stretched and twisted. There’s a rush of cold air, followed by an intense warmth. My senses are overloaded with a whirl of colors and sounds that defy description. Mom’s laugh... summer days at the lake... the smell of fresh-cut grass. First day of training, the excitement, nerves... Eric’s smile, that time in the rain. Stars, endless stars, twinkling... Dad’s old telescope, showing me the craters on the moon. Future? Hazy glimpses... a new world? Strange structures, alien skies... hands reaching out, unknown faces. A sense of... connection, belonging, fear, and hope intertwined. My first steps here, so far from home, yet somehow... closer to everything. Everything blurs together... no sense of time... Mom’s voice... the mission briefing... alien landscapes... childhood dreams... floating, falling, spinning... all at once. Hold on, Elena. Hold on.