My Aunt's Farm

My aunt had a farm and that's where my parents sent me when I screwed up big time. Usually it was because I didn't get good grades in school. This time it had been different. I had beaten a 9th grade boy up, two years older than me.

In a way, they tried to distance me from a possible retaliation, but I like to think it was also to protect the other. They know what I can do...

Old Aunt Aurora had been losing some of her animals lately. She asked me to be careful with some kind of well that might be hidden in the woods, beyond the wall at the back of the farm.

In fact, she forbade me to go over the wall. And what did I do? I went to the wall.

I started by investigating its stones and looking at the edge of the forest that stretched beyond the shale pile.

As I looked down, a glint in a hole between three stones caught my attention. I always had a good eye...

They say that not all that glitters is gold and it's true. This time it was a silver watch, which I examined carefully. It had a small lid that I couldn't open. I pushed and pushed but nothing happened.

- Lopez! Lopez! - I heard my aunt calling, in the middle of the meadow

- Who are you calling? - I asked when I got to her

- Lopez, my pig... I haven't seen him since early morning.

- I didn't see him either.

- Maybe it will show up later. He has a habit of stealing the neighbor's figs...

Slowly, under the early afternoon sun, I walked back to the house and my aunt to the barn. Even though I was supposed to be being punished, Aunt Aurora lightened my workload because she liked me.

In the safety of my room, I took my watch out of my pocket and examined it again. An inscription in another language, that looked like Chinese, outlined the back of the well-crafted object.

That phrase was not strange to me and I tried to remember my Mandarin classes.

师傅领进门，修行在个人

I couldn't read it in Chinese but I tried to remember its meaning. It was all that was left. Maybe my parents were right. I should pay more attention in class.

The Master... takes you to the door, the rest... is up... to you.

- That's it! The Master takes you to the door, the rest is up to you.

A portal of silver energy, like the clock, opened and sucked me in just as I finished saying the sentence aloud.

I spun wildly, which made me a little sick, but I quickly hit the ground on the other side. The cool, damp grass kissed my face.

- Ugh... - I exclaimed as I stood up.

I raised my head and saw the most unusual image I have ever saw in my life. A pig, accompanied by two chickens and a goose, held out its hand.

- Hello, my name is Lopez. I was wondering when were you going to come and pick us up...