The Prompt

"To all passengers boarding the flight from New York to Sydney/Australia, please go to your gate F25. Your flight will begin boarding in 10 minutes". Oh my god, Sara was so excited about her trip, she couldn't believe that her dream became true. For five years she had saved every penny to be able to afford this trip. A trip where she wanted to afford every imaginable luxury, starting with the ticket for this flight: FIRST CLASS. There was the gate, everyone looked at the flight attendant. Sara knew that those who had booked first class were allowed to board first. This time she was one of them. She felt a little bit nervous because she saw two VIPs. She knew them from the TV, and now she was boarding with them together. 'Should I ask them for an autograph? No, that looks cheap', she thought. Maybe next time...?

She showed her boarding pass and was guarded to her seat. Wow, it looked like a little apartment. A big and comfy armchair which folds into a wonderful bed, a small TV, two bigger pillows, a blanket, slippers, snacks, a beauty case with shampoo... everything was there. The flight attendant stopped by and asked her if she needed help. Sara was just over the moon. "No, thank you, but could I get a glass of orange juice?"

"Of course, I will be right back".

Sara sat down. This was the start of a vacation she had dreamed of her entire life. She had made every sacrifice for it. She stopped eating 3 meals a day, she had stopped going out with friends for fun. She sold her car and got herself into an old bicycle to get to her workplace. Five years - and now she was on her way. The flight attendant was back with her orange juice and asked her again if she felt comfortable. Yes, she was. She started to relax and watched the other passengers boarding. Her eyes darted to a young gentleman who was a little out of the ordinary. She could see that his eyes were steel blue and his nose was a bit too round. He had full lips, was clean-shaven and even had a little tanned skin. Probably from a tanning salon. But that wasn't what bothered her in any way. He looked like he was about to fall over and at the same moment, she had the feeling that he had a well-trained body.

The man looked her straight in the eyes and she had the feeling that she knew him. But that couldn't be. She turned away and took her two books out of her backpack. Two classic books she always wanted to read: 'Robinson Crusoe' and 'The Count of Monte Christo'. She made herself more comfortable, took a sip from her juice, and started with 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.

Two minutes later she was already deep in the book. The noises around her faded away and she became more and more acquainted with 'Edmond Dantes', the main character. She could feel, how he felt as a sailor, exploring the world, becoming a captain, and on his way to marrying the love of his life. Then suddenly everything changes for the worst for him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. My name is John Danes and I will be your captain for the next 24 hours. Our crew will start with the safety checks a moment before we take off. Right now it is 6 pm here in New York, rainy and a little bit chill. We will be in Sydney/Australia tomorrow afternoon. The weather over there is just wonderful: 25 degrees, sunny, and no rain at all. Thank you all for listening to me. Doreen, the first flight attendant will take over now and she will explain the safety regulations and what to do in an emergency. Please always follow the instructions of my crew. Thank you."

Sara was so engrossed in her book that she hadn't even noticed that the man with the steel-blue eyes had now also taken a seat in the first class.

She felt a bit uneasy, but she blamed it more on her excitement and the trip. She only half listened to the safety instructions because the book fascinated her so much. When she felt the machine gaining speed she looked out the window. The plane got faster and faster and suddenly they were in the air. The airport got smaller and smaller and a short time later she heard the ringtone that she could open her seat belt again. She refocused on her book and was soon immersed again in the story of poor Edmonds. Only when the flight attendant brought her dinner did she return to reality. She leaned back a little more to avoid the eyes of this weird man. His closeness bothered her and she was glad when she could get ready to sleep. She knew she would read most of the time, but the door to her small apartment would be closed.

Sara enjoyed every single moment when she laid down in her "bed-up-in-the-air". It was even better than her own at home. She took the snacks out of her backpack, re-arranged her pillows and went on with reading.

She could almost feel the pain as Edmond was thrown into the dungeon. Innocent just because he was too trusting. And Mercedes, the woman he loved more than anything else, he can no longer marry. The only one who believes in his innocence is his fatherly friend and boss Morrel.

It has been a long day for Sara and her eyelids were getting heavier. She tried to keep them open because she wants to finish reading this book. She knew the movie, but not the book. But the tiredness overwhelmed her and off she drifted towards Edmond.

Edmond, the love of her life.

Imprisoned in a dungeon on the Île d'If, in the infamous Château d'If prison. She knows she has to help, she has to let him know that she is also on the island. How is she supposed to tell him that? The guards don't look very friendly. The attack is the best defence her teacher always had told her.

'I might look a little bit odd if they see me', she thought. 'Jeans, sports shoes, a t-shirt and a west from my time...mmhh, I wonder what they have to say. If they see me like this, a woman in men's clothes, they will probably be a bit slower. This gives me a little more time to put them out of action.

Sara slowly left her hiding place and approached the guard who was closest to her. He hasn't seen her yet because he's looking the other way, but he heard something. Now he turned around.

"Stop! Who are you? What are you doing here?". His voice sounds sharp and aggressive. He is afraid. No wonder, he has no idea where Sara suddenly came from. The element of surprise is on her side. Three quick steps and she was with him and before he could even do anything, he lay unconscious at her feet. But his screams alerted the other two guards. They came running. Both were armed with muskets. The taller guard of the two stopped, aimed and shoot. But Sara saw him too and moved to the side in a flash. Far too fast for the shooter. The bullet missed her by a foot. Sara knew she has to be even faster than before. She ran towards the two, jumped at the first one, feet first, yanked him to the ground and disabled him. The shooter was a little bit better trained than the other two. He swung his fist, but there was no one there where Sara was standing. She was already behind him and was squeezing him with her thumb and forefinger. He fell to the ground and, like his two colleagues, and then he was unconscious, too.

She took the keys and ran to the jail. She knew she must find him quickly. This was easier said than done. So many cells, so many people. She couldn't release them all, at least not yet. She must find Edmond. She penetrated deeper into this rocky dungeon; the steps are getting deeper and the stench is getting more and more penetrating. Sara could hardly take it anymore. She called for Edmond. Again and again. There, someone answers. She followed the voice. But it was not Edmond. She could hardly breathe in this stench, but she didn't give up. She called again and again, she descended deeper and deeper into the dungeon and then she heard someone answering again. This time it was Edmond. She found him. She quickly puts the key in the lock and turned the key around. He looked sick and weak.

She took his hand and carefully hugged him. His skin was bloody and his eyes looked tired and hurt. There was another voice. A voice she had heard before. A weak voice, maybe from an elderly man? She wasn't sure. But Edmond pointed to the wall and she instantly knew, there was another soul who needed to be rescued. She went back to the stinky hallway and turned to the next jail cell. There he was. A small old man with a long greyish beard, big brown eyes, bare feet and a stick he used for walking. Quickly she took his arm and guarded him to Edmond. They stared into each other's eyes for the first time. The love, this old man showed for Edmond was out of this world. Sara knew she needs to get both of them out as fast as possible.

"We need to leave now. Give me your hand Edmond", she said. The old man sat down and didn't move at all.

"You too", Sara said. "Get up, and follow us". This was like music in his ears. He got up from that rock, which they used as a chair and walked slowly behind Sara and Edmond out of their jail cell. they walked slowly but with every step, they approached the exit, the sunlight and freedom.

Finally, they reached the exit. Both men stopped because the sunlight burned their eyes. It hurts.

The three guards were still on the ground, wrapped up, but conscious again.

The guards looked at Sara and the two prisoners with disbelief. The fat guy tried to spit at Sara.

"Who are you? What are you wearing? A woman disguised as a man is just gross". Sara turned her back to him and tried to ignore him. Her attention was now back on Edmond and his paternal friends. Both were sitting on the grass and breathing in the fresh salty air with joy.

Edmond looked at her. "Who are you? I don't know you at all".

"I know", Sara answered, "it is very complicated to explain. My mission is to rescue you and your friend here".

"Your mission? I don't understand", Edmond looked very puzzled. But his friend smiled.

"I know, you were coming for us, I know we will be rescued one day by a wonderful woman from the future, right?" he said. Turning his head to Sara.

"I might be old, but I had visions all my life, and I knew, one day someone like you will come for us. From which century are you? The way you are dressed looks so different from the women nowadays. But I like it".

"I am from the 21st. century. Exactly, as of today, from June 1st,2025. I was born and raised in the United States. Studied Medicine in New York, and worked then for the CIA, secret service. I speak 6 languages and I have 3 black belts in material arts".

"I see, so we should be good for now".

Edmond opened his mouth but he didn't know what to say.

The guard who tried to shoot her started to swear at her.

"Stop yelling at me", she said "I won't hurt you. We will soon leave this ugly rocky island. I will ensure that you are freed as soon as we are safe. But I'll be back if you don't take good care of the other prisoners. You can rely on my words. This is not a joke".

She turned back to Edmond and his friend to tell them that for now, she would worry about fresh clothes, something to eat and drink for them.

She turned around and walked towards the guards' quarters. When she opened the door she was greeted by a putrid stench of old beer. She held her breath, went in, and opened the little hatch-like window. Then she set about looking for fresh clothes and something to eat and drink. In no time she had everything together. She left this stinking building and ran back. In the meantime, both men had found a small watering hole and tried to clean themselves. The result wasn't bad at all. They quickly slipped into their new clothes and ate the 'fresh bread' with relish and drank the red wine that Sara had also found. Edmond looked over at Sara again. He still wasn't quite sure why she should save him of all people.

Sara was a wonderful young woman. Bright green eyes, long curly red hair, slim, fit, nice long fingers like a doctor needs. So why him?

"Why me?", Edmond asked her again, "why me?".

Sara looked at him not sure if she should answer him or not.

"It's not all that easy to explain. And this island is not an island for lovers or vacation. I even don't know where to start".

Her gaze wandered out to the rough sea, her eyes searched for something specific.

"I was sent to change the history a little bit. If I don't succeed in this, the humanity of the future will have more problems than you can even imagine. And why am I here and not someone else? I've always been in love with you and yes, I know that can't be possible, but that's the way it is. I'm the only one who can make the impossible possible. Your liberation and the liberation of your paternal friend means that you, with your enormous wealth, make many social projects possible that we will need in the future to be able to compensate for the general public".

"But I am not rich at all", " I am poor. I lost everything since I am here in prison".

She was about to answer him when his friend raised his hand and began to speak.

"Edmond, my friend. You were and are the only one who has ever been honest with me. you are the only one who has not closed himself to my teachings... You are the only student who has ever absorbed my knowledge so quickly and so well. Not only have you grown on me, but you are also the son I never had. I won't live much longer, but you, you still have a whole life ahead of you. And this life you shall spend richly. Wisely deployed and used. I know that you will take revenge on those who have so shamelessly pushed you into misery. I do not have a problem with that. But I want to bequeath my inheritance to you. A wealth that puts everything that has ever existed on earth in the shade. Use it wisely. Follow Sara's instructions. Our future hangs by a thread. I can feel the sword of Damocles over my head. Do good with what I leave you. Take revenge on those who betrayed you. But never forget that with wealth comes responsibility. And now I put this in your hands. Sara will always stand by your side. Or am I wrong?"

"You are rich? I can't believe this!"

"Yes, I am. I am the richest man on earth and that is why I am in prison. Everyone just wanted my secret and the hiding place where the treasure is. They tortured me for years until you came. But I kept silent. I knew there would come a day when someone I could trust would come. I lived only for this day. You Edmond are the one and I can't think of a better heir than you. I taught you everything I know. Languages, geography, biology, mathematics, social forms, politics, and so on. And you soaked it up like a sponge that never got wet. Your thirst for knowledge was never quenched. Every day we learn something new, and we always have to be up to date to understand. Most people are not made for it. You Edmond are made for it."

Sara looked at both of them. Her eyes smiled. Her gaze wandered over the sea again and now she saw what she wanted to see. A sailing ship set course for the island. The ship she had been waiting for. The ship that would bring Edmond and his friend to freedom. Away from this island that was just a chunky, cold rock. No paradise at all only a nightmare. She took the old man by the arm, took hands with Edmond, and led them both to a hidden staircase. She gently helped both of them down to the small beach. A dinghy was already on its way to pick them up. The two men rowed towards them as fast as they could and before Sara knew what was happening the boat pulled up and Edmond and his friend were being lifted into this small dinghy. Edmond turned around again. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Thanks".

Sara blushed. She felt uncomfortable. Someone ripped madly at her t-shirt. She was afraid that one of the guards had broken away. She turned and wanted to hit back. But there was nobody. What was going on? Someone was tugging at her wildly and she couldn't see anyone.

"Good morning young lady. breakfast! Wouldn't you like to freshen up first while we make your bed?"

Sara opened her eyes. At first, she didn't know where she was. Then she saw the stewardess standing next to her. The man with the steel-blue eyes in the cabin across the way laughed. He pointed to the book she was holding tightly with his finger. "That must have been a great dream," he said. Oh dear, the book. Yes, she had started to read and then must have fallen asleep. Who knows what she said in her sleep?

"Don't worry. You didn't talk in your sleep. Word of honor."

The stewardess laughed and pointed to the bathroom. "Would you like a European breakfast or an American one?"

"I would like an American breakfast with ham, scrambled eggs, toast, and butter please. Plus coffee."

"Good choice," said the man. "May I introduce myself before you disappear into the bathroom? My name is Alexander Dumas III. I am the great-great-grandson of the author of your book. Maybe we can have breakfast together?"

Sara stared at him in bewilderment. She could only nod. Her vacation was already an adventure with an uncertain outcome.