Five Minutes to Forever

Dr. Sarah Chen checked her watch - three minutes until moonrise. The green door stood before her, moss-draped and beckoning.

Two expeditions had already yielded specimens of extinct plants, thriving in a world untouched by human hands.

Tonight she'd finish her research. But as the door shimmered open, revealing prehistoric ferns and flowers she'd only seen in fossils, Sarah hesitated.

The untamed beauty beyond the threshold made her world feel hollow, manufactured.

Her watch beeped - two minutes remaining. She could return... or stay, disappearing like others before her into a purer earth.

She stepped forward, leaving her watch behind.

PS: I am participating in the #30days30stories challenge and today is Day 26. This amazing challenge is being hosted by Dagny and Nirja.