I stared at my ceiling, processing everything that just happened. I freshened up for the day, and after a nice, quick breakfast, I will be typing my book later. As I walked around my room, my vision felt different, almost…sharper? Is this happening because of what I saw in my sleep? Maybe a walk outside might help me figure out what has happened. I picked up my watch and strapped it around my wrist.
As I walked, a stranger bumped into me, almost causing me to fall. My watch's strap was loosened, which caused the watch to slip off and fall into the gutter. Oh great. Now I need a new watch?! Could this day get any tougher? I got back home and shoved some cash into my pocket.
Oh yeah, I haven't given a proper introduction yet!
My name's Horacio.
My parents passed away two years ago in an accident while they were returning home. It's not something I like to talk about. As of now, I'm 19. I live alone. I don't have any family. My grandpa died last year (not to brag, but), I'm an author. I type books for a living—good ones, apparently—because I make a humongous rack of cash from it.
As I headed into the store, I spotted a crowd of people surrounding a man. The man screamed, "WHOEVER WINS THIS WILL GET TO KEEP THIS WATCH FOR FREE!". I pondered for a moment. Welp, I guess I could try my luck; nothing beats free things.
I pushed myself through the crowd. "Ah! Boy! Are you interested in this watch?" asked the old man, "Uhm, yes, but what should I win?", "The watch is under one of these cups! I will move around these cups, and if you select the right one, you'll win the watch!"
Shit, the only way I could win it would be by pure luck...The man moved around the cups. "Now, which cup shall this boy choose?", I pointed towards the cup on the right, "I choose this one!" My heart beat faster and harder as the old man lifted the cup. "WE HAVE A WINNER!", "HELL YES. THANK GOD!"
As I took the watch and placed it into my pocket, a strong sensation of sorts went throughout my body. "Ugh, I feel dizzy all of a sudden-" My eyes shut, and I lose my consciousness.
You might think that waking up in the Wild West during the 1800s is cool and all, but trust me—it's not worth it. Unless, of course, you want to melt into a pool of blood. (Not recommended.)
My eyes snapped open from the unbearable heat. I looked around. No bed. Just rock-hard ground beneath me. I would love to sleep again, but I doubt anyone could sleep on rock-hard ground and boiling air. There's no one in sight—only furnished buildings all around me. I took a good look at the buildings, not a person in sight.
Curious, I headed into the most iconic place from those movies: the tavern.
The wooden door gates creaked open as I stepped inside. It's the most deserted place I've ever seen. Bottles lie open on the floor, booze soaked into the wooden boards. Not a single soul in sight. It feels more like an actual desert than a town.
I glanced at my wrist. My new watch was ticking… fast. Too fast.
Wait… I squinted. My watch is digital, not mechanical. Something's wrong.
I blinked.
Suddenly, I'm back in the present. The watch is digital again, just like normal. I took it off, examining it from every angle—no sign of anything that could be a part of a mechanical watch. Out of curiosity (and a bit of dumb bravery), I started clicking random buttons.
Pro tip: Don't do that. Especially if your watch can transform like a Transformer.
Eventually, I reached the final button on the left. My finger hovered above it. Should I press it? What if it takes me back to the Wild West… or worse?
I clicked it.
The display changed. A new time mode appears—something I've never seen before. It scanned my face and then a date and time setting popped up… in a hologram.
I figured out how to use my time-travelling watch and set a date in the future, and confirm it. As the seconds tick away, my heart beats harder and faster.
Then—BOOM.
No, I'm just messing with you.
I get sucked into the watch. Or, to put it more accurately: I GET EATEN BY THE WATCH.
I shot through a wormhole—or some kind of sci-fi tunnel—and landed face-first on wet grass. I sit up, dazed, just in time to see a hovering car zoom past.
Yeah. A flying car.
I'm in total awe. Then, weirdly, the feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. I glanced down at my human-eating watch. It's in mechanical mode again. Ticking fast.
In the distance, a glowing metropolis floats above the land. It's beautiful. Futuristic. Unbelievable.
I realised what just happened.
I'm in the year 2099.
Don't be jealous—I didn't mean to time-travel. I was just messing around with my stupid watch.
Before I could explore more, the watch began to tick violently. And once again, it ate me. Spitted me back out. And then I'm back in the present.
I rip the thing off and shove it in my bedside drawer. I'm done with it.