Out of the frying pan, into the fire
Chapter 26

Moonbyul's POV

"Solar!" I screamed in horror. Then I shoved the pistol in my belt, ran to her and cradled her in my arms.

She opened her eyes and then slowly began to speak, "He was going to shoot you in the back. Couldn't let that happen..."

It was at this point I suddenly became aware of the shouts of several people and what sounded like several dogs coming in my direction. 

"The shot came from over there!" I heard someone shout. 

"OVER HERE!" I shouted back in response. 

Looking down at Solar and seeing she had been hit in the chest, I burst into tears. 

"N-no Yeba, you can't die, you shouldn't have done that!" 

Solar then slowly reached up and touched my cheek with a loving gaze, she weakly smiled. "Had to save the woman I love... right?" 

"No... no... no... you can't die." I croaked, my voice cracking. 

At this point, four men with several dogs burst into the small clearing we were in. 

"Where is he?" One of the men shouted. 

I pointed off towards the direction I saw him run, "He went that way, I think he's running towards the river... I- I hit him in the arm." 

"Alright men, after him!" Shouted a tall man holding a rifle.

Then the group followed a few others ran off leaving me alone.

However just a few seconds later, Solar's father burst into the clearing. Once he saw she had been shot, he turned ghostly white and ran to her.

"What happened?"

"Solar and I were talking and that bastard snuck up on us. She spotted him as he was about to shoot me in the back. She pushed me out of the way, but got hit herself. He dropped the gun and ran. I picked it up and fired. I'm sure I hit his left arm." I tell him in rage through my tears.

His brow quickly creased with worry as I handed his stricken daughter to him.

"Father, h— he was going to shoot Moonbyul..."

"Don't talk, Solar, please save your strength. You did a very brave thing. I am so sorry I ever arranged for you to marry that scoundrel. Had I even an inkling of his true character, I would have never, ever agreed to it. Please forgive me."

"It's okay, father. Y-you didn't... know." 

I hastily reached in one of my bags, ripped off a piece of one of my dresses and tried to apply direct pressure. "Mr. Ferrer, Sir. She needs a doctor!" 

He then looked at the wound and seemed to cringe as his face turned more ashen. He knew something that I could not tell. 

"What is it! Tell me!" 

He then looked at me gravely, "I've seen combat many times and I've seen wounds like this all too often. If she doesn't reach a surgeon in a short space of time, then she will expire."

"How much time do we have?" 

"The nearest surgeon is Dr. Hayes and I know for a fact that he's in London this afternoon. He said he'd be traveling there yesterday, when I briefly chatted with him at the inn. The next doctor I can think of is halfway to London." He said with resignation. 

He then began to cry himself hysterically as he took her hand, "Oh my precious daughter, I cannot lose you." 

Standing there, I began to panic. "Think, think, ing think damn it!" I ranted. 

Then it hit me, as far as I could see there was one and only one way to save Solar. I had to take her home. But I knew she would expire long before I got her to the wormhole. I then remembered the emergency racall. But that could fail and would certainly ruin the machine. 

I had to save Solar, I couldn't let her die. 

I rushed to Mr. Ferrer and Solar's side, "Mr. Ferrer. I know it looks hopeless and grave, but there is a way to save her. I have a way."

He looked up at me with a mixture of surprise and hope, "H—how?"

I had no other choice but to tell him and I had to tell him fast. "What I will say to you will sound like the ravings of a madman, but I swear to god that I am speaking the truth. I am not what I appear to be. I am a human being of flesh and bone. I am no agent of hell or angel from heaven. I am a person. But I am a person from another time...

I am from beyond tomorrow. In the years to come, a brilliant man will develop a machine that will allow the user to cross centuries as one could cross a room. I came here from many years in the future, to right a great wrong...

I assure you, my world or time is much like this one. England still exists, it has a queen, a parliament, with a house of commons and a house of lords...

England is still a respected world power. People still play cricket, there are still churches and people who worship God. Do you understand?"

Him being religious, I had to stress that this future still had religion in it.

He looked at me blankly, but nodded after a moment.

"Okay, I was heading back to London, so I could return to my era. Go back trough the doorway between our worlds. But I can as a last resort, cause a doorway to be here. I could take Solar with me. There, I can arrange for a very fast transport and get her to a fully equipped hospital in minutes. We have doctors, nurses and surgeons that use the most advanced techniques."

I'm not sure if he really understood me, but at the mention of a hospital and doctors he seemed to become a bit more animated. I could tell that he would do nearly anything to save his daughter.

"You can save my daughter and this is no fantasy. I need to know if tale of the future are  not the ravings of a madwoman." He was biting, but I needed to sell him and quickly.

Having an idea, I reached in and grabbed my phone. Looking trough my photo album on my phone, I found the picture I was looking for.

Then, I held up my phone. "This is a device from my time. One day, nearly everyone in England will have such a thing. It can do many things, it can send messages like a telegraph, it can take pictures like a camera and many other things. This was invented by man and made in a factory. It is no object of evil, it is a device, like a steam engine or a coffee grinder. I can use to keep a copy of a picture and see it whenever I want."

I held it up and showed him, "You recognize this, don't you?"

He gave it a dubious look at first but soon became very interested, "That is a picture of St. Michael's church, the one we attend in town. I have never seen such a picture before, it is in color. Amazing!"

We need to get over it fast, just believe me already! Alright, calm down. So with a hopeless sigh, I continue explaining things to him. He wants answers so I might as well give them to him to fully understand.

"When I first came to Herford, I took a picture of the church. In my time it still stands and every Sunday they still have services. Do you believe me?" 

He looked at me and then to Solar, but I got the impression that he just wasn't totally buying it. Damn it. 

Solar then weakly took her father's hand, "Father please, trust her. S— she is a good person. Trust her, please..." then she passed out. 

He seemed to think for a moment, then looked at Solar's blood soaked dress. "If you can save my daughter by taking her to your world, then do so." 

I breathed a sigh of relief, finally. "Okay, I do need to tell you one thing. In order to open the door here, I will ruin the device that creates the door. It is a last resort emergency I will be using. Once I am trough, I will not be able to bring her back. At least for some time. But I assure you that she will be safe. I will also make sure that she is taken care of. I will swear to you and I also swear I will bring her back someday. I promise you."

He suddenly became very serious, "Swear to me in the name of God that you will take care of my daughter and see that someday she will return."

I held up my hand, "I, Moonbyul, swear to you in the name of God who is in heaven, will take care of Solar and will bring her back to you someday."

He still had every reason to think if I was either a con artist or simply mad, but he loves his daughter and wants to save her. I can't blame him for grasping at straws.