First man on Mars

30 seconds till liftoff. The first man on Mars. He thought of what awaited him in the near future, and at the same time, thought of how he would be received by his family and peers when he returned. A million thoughts raced through his head, and time seemed to slow down. 20 seconds till liftoff. He thought of his parents, who had up until this point in his life, helped him get this far. He thought of his peers, who had provided support and encouragement through his best and worst points. 10 seconds till liftoff. Lastly, he thought of himself. He remembered the small, innocent, and naive boy that he used to be. At that moment, the thought of his childhood sparked a realization of what he had been carrying in his right pocket and what his father had entrusted him with to hold dear with him for the entirety of his life. He pulled it out of his pocket for one last quick glance before he was launched into the stars. Even in his remaining seconds, he studied it hard. The overhead lights reflected off of its shiny, metallic surface. His own reflection was distorted by the bowl-like indentation in the object. He ran his fingers up and down the handle as if trying to remember the feeling and shape of the object. Finally, coming back to reality, he placed it carefully back in his pocket. He strapped on his helmet. 5...4...3...2...1.