Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 264

A Matter of Time
Kennedy School, Bharwani, Dia - 10
M
e: a lonely child without many friends, except for Lian, but she too bailed on me. I had no idea where she
went before recess. While looking for her at school, I spotted a NO ENTRY sign. As curious as I am, I
barged in.
Inside stood a bizarre machine that was bulky and bright. It was mysterious and nothing like I had ever seen. As
I got closer, I found a note: “For Meili”. ‘It’s for me!’ I thought, as I leapt inside...
There were switches and an curvy slot in the center. I couldn’t understand what the slot was for. It finally dawned
on me, the slot was a keyhole, in which my half of a sun-shaped amulet would fit in. Lian gifted me half an amulet
and she kept the other half. As soon as I inserted my amulet, the machine came alive! I fell back and was locked
in by a metal belt. I heard the engine ROAR to life! My seat spun uncontrollably and the dashboard lit up. I
suddenly felt dizzy and slipped into unconsciousness.
I didn’t know how long I was out for, but when I woke up the machine was silent. I could now see my amulet
ejected from the keyhole. I grabbed it, wondering what had happened...
As I stepped out, I found myself in a field. I saw a troop of soldiers in the distance aiming guns in my direction! I
froze and didn’t know what to do. Suddenly someone jumped on me and pulled me down to the floor. I looked
up... It was Lian!
“Stay down, don’t let them see you!” She gasped.
“What is that?” I asked when I heard whizzing sounds.
“Those are bullets, be careful! What are you doing in the middle of the field? Are you crazy?” Lian said in a state
of panic.
How did I get here and what is Lian doing here? I thought to myself.
“Why did you leave school so early?” I asked her.
“I got here the same way you did. I built the time machine that transported you. I used the amulets as a key. Half
the amulet takes you to the past and joining the amulets takes you to the present. I travelled without both amulets
and got stuck here in 1949, and boy, am I glad to see you! I need your help. With your half of the amulet, we can
go back home” Lian concluded.
I listened to her story in disbelief.
“Do you have your half of the amulet with you?” Lian asked
“Yes, what about you?” I replied.
Lian said she was transported to Jing’an Temple, where she dropped her half of the amulet in all the chaos.
/
“We have to go to the temple to find the other half” Lian said anxiously.
“Hang on, where are we?” I asked.
“We’re in Shanghai in midst of the Chinese Revolution, its the 2nd of October 1949, and we need to go home!”
Lian exclaimed.