When I wake up I am in a stark white room, and when I say white room, everything is white, all the furniture, carpet, window, little things on the shelf, book covers, everything... ridiculous if you ask me... There is a nice fresh breeze on my face and I think I can hear the ocean. Are we back on the beach? I open my eyes wide and find I am sitting on a comfortable white chair. I am not tied to it and my arms and legs are completely free, but I can't move. I look around and I recognise Michael, he is awake and sitting on another one of those chairs next to me. Then I see Isabel in the corner of the room. After a moment she notices I am awake and comes over.
"I am glad you are ok. I would never have thought that Michael would have kidnapped someone... like you. "
I realise that Michael's face is red and he seems to be in pain.
Isabel continues "you do not have to worry I will return you to your home and your family as soon as I will take care of him."
She pauses and looks at Michael. "Did he tell you anything about the future or himself?" She looks at me.
" Not much," I say, "He said he works for the government and works for the energy department or something like that. He said that most of his career he was behind the desk and recently got promoted to active duty and was still looking to find his feet. What is your issue with him, Isabel? I can understand that when a relationship breaks there must be some reasons, but to point a gun at us and kidnap us and now all this interrogation? Is this really necessary?"
She looks at me surprised, I think she didn't expect me to question her. She comes over and gives me a long stare and whispers
"And you believed him?"
She pauses for a long while and paces around the room in front of us, then continues.
" I will tell you something about Michael Bethany, Michael worked for the government most of his life, in the hm... energy department... But this, what he is doing now... this active duty as he called it, is not really a promotion, he lied about that. He decided to betray his government, and me, his wife, the person who sacrificed everything, all her life for him. He committed treason and that is why we are here. And so yes, it is really necessary Bethany."
She walks around the room and then returns, looks me in the eyes and says
"If you weren't who you are I really would enjoy turning you into dust."
"Leave her alone Isabel" I hear Michael " She doesn't understand your plans and agendas, she has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, you think she doesn't? I think she does. Especially knowing what family she is from. They have all been the same throughout the centuries, and she is just like them. If I didn't know any better I would have thought you brought her here on purpose; but... I know that you are not capable of coming up with a plan like this."
After a moment of silence, Isabel lifts her head, as if she heard something and says
" ok, they are ready for me, I will be back soon. " She walks behind us and with a smirk on her face she says
"Don't go anywhere, as if you could." And she leaves the room laughing. Leaving us on our own.
I whisper "Michael" he looks at me and I carry on
"where are we? what is she going to do to us? Do you have a plan? Why can't I move?"
Michael smiles at me and says
"I can't understand what you are saying. Isabel took my language communicator so I don't know what you are saying to me, but I know that you have yours still on, so you should be able to understand me? Nod if you can understand?" I nod
"Ok, so you can't move because you have a little device attached to your neck that is restricting your movement. We are at Isabel's place in her time, which is my future. I have been here before, so I know that the window in front of us is not real and there is just a virtual image constructor, the real way to escape is through the door, which is behind us. We need to remove the devices from our necks and then we should make a run for it. Or do you have a better plan? Could you nod if you have a better plan?"
I think about it... and shake my head, no, I don't have a better plan.
"Ok, so the device disables us from our neck down, but it will allow for impulse responses such as a scratching if you are itchy. Are you itchy anywhere Bethany?"
I think about it and then shake my head again, no.
"Ok, so can you think about anything that can make you feel itchy? What about a great swarm of ants crawling up your feet, your legs, up to your thigh...?
He looks at me and I cringe.
"What about lice in your hair, imagine about twenty of them all laying eggs in your hair and bitting the flesh under your hair...? What about spiders crawling down your back, climbing up to your neck. "
I shake and scream, and lift my hand to shake off the imaginary spiders from my neck nocking off the attached device which falls down and slides on the floor. I feel that the restriction is removed and I am able to move freely again. I run to Michael and remove the device off his neck. He takes a second to return to himself and then takes the device from my hands and puts it in his pocket. He says
" I think she had left to report us, but they might be back at any time, just follow me."
We open the door without any trouble and walk out into a corridor which is all light pink. What a weird home design I think and follow Michael into another room, this room is all turquoise. He seems to know his way around here really well. He takes off a picture from a wall and takes a key that is attached behind it to open a closet that is full of... glittery, colourful big eggs... He puts one egg into one of his boots and another into his other boot. Then he goes to the desk and starts picking things up and stashing them in his pockets.
"Get the water," he says to me pointing at the sink in the corner of the room.
I go and start filling up the sink as he did in my kitchen. He comes over to me and takes the communication device out of my ear, it sends an electrical impulse through my body and I grab the sink so I don't fall on the floor. While I am trying to get to stabilize myself he puts something in my ear that makes me feel immediately better.
"Let's go he says" and at that moment the door to the room opens.
Michael throws the white powder into the water and grabs my arm, I hear Isabel shouting and running towards us, the last thing I see are some lights she throws at us as we are swallowed by the white abyss. I see pink lines that turn into shadows and finally I feel Michael pulling me out. We start running.
It is night time, its dark and we are running on sand. Are we at the beach again? I cant hear waves. Suddenly I slip and start falling, I drag Michael down with me as he wouldn't let go of my arm. I feel we are sliding along the sand and it is a long slide that starts to burn my skin so I try and cover my skin with clothing, which slows the slide and eventually stop.
I can hear a noise in my head and suddenly I know exactly where and when we are and that we have just fallen down a nine-meter tall sand dune. I feel so much energy in my body and I don't feel any pain from the fall or my skin getting hurt. I look at Michael and he too seems to be ok.
"Michael how come I know that we are in the Ancient Egipt, its 2600BC, the time is 4:37 AM and the ruling king is Sneferu, the pharaoh which founded the fourth dynasty of Egipt?"
Michael smiles and says
"It's the AI, I placed in your ear." and as he talks, I immediately know what 'AI' is. It was like Siri whispering things directly into my brain and making me smarter and stronger too.
"It's weird, but this is awesome!" I laugh.
"You should, it is a very sophisticated piece of technology, it is even futuristic for me" he laughs.
After a moment he pauses and looks at me and says
" I guess I should explain what Isabel told you about me... and about you..." I look at him surprised, a bit scared of what he is about to confess? I guess I have grown fond of him and this crazy adventure and I hope he is not going to say something that will break my trust and heart...
"In the future, where I am from the world operates slightly different from what you are used to. People no longer have issues of poverty or hunger or lack of education. With technological achievements, we are able to conquer many problems. This means that governments are no longer needed. People didn't want to follow the rules, they wanted to aspire to things and grow by following individuals which inspire them and make them better."...
He looks at me and pauses...
"Anyway, we got to a point that the leading figures got into a disagreement... I chose a side, and the other side feels that I have betrayed them. Where my side hopes that I will succeed in my mission, the other side wants me to fail."
"Michael, you don't have to explain anything to me, since I have met you you have been nothing but a gentleman, ensuring my safety and trying to return me to my home. I can understand that there are disagreements, especially when an ex-wife gets involved."
"No, Isabel was right, I did lie to you. " I look at him surprised, thinking oh no...
" It wasn't an accident I came to your house. I go by your home quite often when I visit the 21st century. You see, we are kind of family... and ... and a lot of really amazing things starts with you and your family. I know that Isabel thought that maybe I have taken you out of your everyday life because I want to influence you and change you and through you change history and maybe even the conflict that has us so broken up. But honestly, I never wanted that. She found me at your place because I just happened to pass through and decided to check in on you. With her chasing me I panicked, and your home seemed the quickest way out, and then you were there and... taking you along with me seemed like the safest option for you at the time. I guess what I am trying to say is, I am sorry Bethany, I am sorry for coming by your house and taking you away from your home and family. Now we just need to find water and I will take you straight back home and I promise you, I won't bother you again."
"Don't. Don't say that. I am glad you came to my home and even though I was scared at first being sort of kidnapped by you and all, I am actually really enjoying this, being away from my chores and duties and errands. All the travel, discovering new worlds... all of this unknown history. After all this is over, I hope you still visit, and often, and maybe for dinner to meet my family, like a normal person instead of passing by peeking through the windows?
"It wasn't like that.. he stammers" blushing.
I carry on, "...and maybe sometimes you could take me with you again? " He looks at me all surprised and huge smile comes to his face. I continue. "and you say we are a family? How is that? Are you some great, great-grandson of mine?"
"I don't know if I should tell you, or even how much information will be too much. It might affect your future and then the future of us all." He pauses as to weighing the options and then looks at me deciding to leave things as they are.
"Ok then, I trust you Michael. If you say you we are family, I believe it, and the funny thing is that from the moment I met you you felt part of it. I feel comfortable around you and I have no doubts that what you did was genuine and you will return me home as you promised." We both smile and start to walk towards the city of Egypt as the Sun started to rise above the desert.