~Mason Slugg, Class of 2025 

It was a beautiful warm day for a hike in Yosemite National Park. After a good night’s sleep and some breakfast I’m ready to go! My family and I took a bus to the Half Dome trail and started our hike. It was mostly downhill, so not too bad but it really worked my legs on the steeper areas. About halfway through the trail my family and I stopped to take a break. I felt like I did needed a break so I mindlessly wandered off into the surrounding trees.

Not too far off the trail, barely visible, was a whirling portal with different shades of blue spinning in hypnotic circle. I’m not sure where I might end up if I step through, or if I would come back in time to continue our hike, but I am curious, and a little nervous to find out. As I place one foot into the portal at a time, and as I close my eyes, I feel myself become more and more limp and wobbly, like boiled pasta floating in space. The weird sensation lasts around two seconds and soon enough, I begin to feel more and more stable and strong again. When I opened my eyes, the wisps of swirling blue I had seen before were gone and blinding lights shot into my eyes as I shut them quickly. I kept them closed for a minute, letting my other senses work before I reopened my eyes to adjust to the light.

 I could hear the murmur and shouts as if a crowd was surrounding me. My shoes had gotten a little damp and the air smelled like chlorine. ‘Am I at the pool?’ I thought to myself. I opened my eyes again and after I adjusted to the very sudden change in lighting, I took in my surroundings and realized that I am indeed now standing on a pool deck. But not any pool deck, the Olympic pool deck with all the best swimmers in the world about to swim the 200 meter freestyle finals. The swimmers walked out of the locker rooms with their headphones on their head and goggles in their hands. They jump up and down and do stretches while the announcer talks some more. As the announcer stops speaking the crowd is suddenly silent. 

The starter announced the race and the officials stepped behind the 10 blocks to observe the swimmers’ starts and races. “Swimmers… take your mark…” beep! The start went off and the swimmers shot off the blocks like bullets from a gun. They were all tied up for practically the whole race and after the close race, I got to meet and shake hands with all of the Olympic swimmers! I felt the sudden adrenaline and excitement after the final swimmer walked past. I just got to meet the best swimmers in the world! I thought with extreme excitement. 

When the swimmers and timers left the pool deck and the security guards spotted me from the other side of the pool deck after being so intent on the race, I knew it’s time to go back. I look around for the portal but it is nowhere to be seen! With the guards closing in on me, I ran in the same direction as it was before, but even as I got closer it was still not there! Suddenly it appeared right in front of me and again, 

I did not know where it would take me, but it had to be better than jail… 

So I held my breath and leaped the portal once more.