Finding a way into tricky situations has never been a problem for me - although I still haven’t learned the art of getting out of them. And here I am again. Right in the middle of a tricky situation. My clothes are sticking to my body - not because of cold sweat. Water has entered the small room. It's already getting to my hips. Another half hour at most and then it would be over. Then it would be my last tricky situation. I rattled the locked door once more. It just wouldn't open. I had taken extra care to leave the door open when I entered the room. I had no idea that the masked man would come after me and slam the door shut. I looked to the side. He was still standing motionless in the corner. The others were probably already in the rescue capsule. The water was already up to my shoulders. I desperately shook the thick iron door that separated me from the rescue. “Give me a hand,” what was supposed to sound like a command sounded like begging. It was no use. The man wasn't moving. With the last of my strength, I banged my fists against the door. “Help me.” Nothing. “Help.” Silence. There was no one else here. Just me and the masked man. Tears were running down my cheeks. The water was almost up to my ears. I slowly leaned against the wall. I had to accept my fate. The masked man stepped out of his corner and gave me a warm hug. Out of nowhere I was no longer cold. It felt like home. I was no longer afraid. I felt safe in the arms of the stranger. And then I knew. This was my end. From the moment I entered the room, it was my end. And for one time in my life I was able to escape. Not only this situation but life.
At the age of 10, Sara knew who she would marry. She also already knew her profession. Housewife. What else. Her future husband was a successful businessman who would bring home all the money without any problems. And she didn't think that was a bad thing. Nobody did that. At the age of 10, everyone was assigned their future partner and profession in order to give everyone a fulfilling life. For Sara, this was perfectly normal. Until she turned 19, when everything changed. The wedding was just a few weeks away and preparations were in full swing. But the visit to the gardener who would bring her the flowers changed everything. As soon as Sara looked at the gardener, she knew. Something was different. She felt feelings she had never felt before. A tingling in her stomach when she looked into his eyes. Her heart was beating fast when I briefly touched her hands. But how could that be? In a few weeks she would be married, she would marry her true love and lead a happy life. Or would she? The government was looking for true love for every single person, wasn't it? They wanted the population to be happy, didn't they? Maybe they had made a mistake. Maybe she was the mistake. She had to forget these feelings.
At the age of 25, she finally knew. She wasn't the fault. It was the government. It was the system she lived in. The system that took away everyone's power to make decisions and to want things, to love. But Sara knew what she wanted now. She didn't want a full life if it was without true love. She didn't want a partner if it was perfect. She wanted love, strife and forgiveness, all in all. And she wanted it with him. Not her husband, but him. The man with whom she felt true love for the first time.