Unscripted Adventures

Sally was comforted by the serene landscape in front of her. The sun dipped down behind the hills, and water crashed on the beach a few meters away. Palm trees dotted the landscape, along with flocks of birds flying overhead. Sally sighed, taking in the feeling of relaxation and expressing her worries in every breath she took. If there was one thing Sally loved besides movies, it was watching sunsets and sunrises. As a little girl, she loved to go to the beach in the early morning, when the tides were low, or in the tranquil evenings, when the tide was high. Most of all, she loved going with her parents and older brother, Juan. Her mother was an English woman – working as a vet, and her dad was Spanish. 

He was a rich businessman. But then they had vanished from her life. They had perished in a fire that had happened many years ago when Sally was just 10 years old. She was left to fend for herself, doing odd jobs and earning small amounts of money to keep herself alive. Little did she know that she possessed an enormous fortune, given by her parents. 

Sally shivered as a gust of wind blew by her, and it was becoming dark. As she got up and stretched after sitting for hours in a bush, she kept her head on a swivel, searching for enemies and stalking out of the confined space. She walked down the street full of busy shops, occasionally stopping at them and searching for clues given by a mysterious figure – Mr. X. He was believed to be the head of Sally’s organization. Sally was recruited by them a few months ago, and because of her skill, she was promoted 3 levels ahead, which had never happened before. 

Sally continued walking and reached the end of the boardwalk. An agent was supposed to meet her here. The clues she had received from the shops had said a person with blonde hair, a suit, and glasses on would meet her here, at 8:30. Where was he? 

Suddenly, a strong, muscular arm tensing with anger wrapped around her neck, and carried her somewhere into the darkness. A bag was put on her head, blocking her view, and tied her wrists with ropes. It turns out the person who captured her stuck to the classics. Sally had been in similar situations, but they were all part of training. She tried to focus on what she had learned, but her mind was a flurry of thoughts and panic, and she thought she could hear her heart beating. 

Sally felt as if she was loaded into a cart, or some type of vehicle. Someone shuffled next to her, sniffing loudly. She wondered who it was. Just then, a loud cry of approval for the driver was heard from someone in the north direction, and then they started moving over rocky roads. 

Sally calmed down and started tracing over the hard ropes her hands tied with. She felt the knot, and with her nimble fingers she untied it and her hands were free. She stretched them and peeled off the bag on her head. It took a few moments to understand the scene in front of her, and after the sensation died out, she saw a boy around her age (maybe a bit older) sitting next to her in the truck, shivering. A gust of wind blew by, and the boy shivered even more, so Sally offered him her shawl, which she had gotten from the remains of her home by a miracle. 

The boy looked at her, and then at the shawl. His eyes flickered and he suddenly hugged Sally tight, making it hard for her to breathe. She was shocked for a moment, and then said, “Get off me!”

The boy reluctantly obeyed, and then asked her, “Are you Sally? That shawl was Mum’s, wasn’t it?” 

Sally was stunned. Was he….Juan, her dead brother? Then she realized that his voice was exactly like Juan’s! 

“Juan? How are you alive?”, she sputtered, still in shock. 

“ Well, mum and dad made me hide in an underground vent, so the fire couldn’t reach me. I went around the place, exploring everywhere, when I saw a passage labeled Oxford. So, I went into the passage and remembered that you were there, and I wanted to find you. But when I slid out of the drain, I landed right in front of a tough person, and he captured me, saying that I possessed a huge fortune.”

Sally was confused. But just then, the engine stopped. Two burly men came to the back and looked at Sally in surprise when they didn’t see the blindfold. They helped them down the truck and were led into a red building, and the inside looked quite shabby. They were led into a prison cell with only a bed. 

Both siblings plopped down, tired, but continued talking until they came to a sudden halt. A man with a wooden crown and a flimsy cape looked at them. He spoke loudly, “I am Mr. X! Yes, that’s right Sally, Mr. X, the head of the organization. When I got to know that both of you possessed such an enormous fortune, I immediately captured your brother, and a few years later, you! I only need one of you alive to get the money. Who do I pick?”

He took a revolver out of his pocket and aimed at Juan. He pressed the trigger and did a double take when he saw not Juan dead, but his sister Sally. What would happen now?