Welcome to The Pilot Program 2020. And this month we have another short story for you, aptly named Killing Hitler. So, remember, if you like this short story then like it, comment, share it, and read it. That way, you can choose what I write as a short story series for the next year. With that said, hope you enjoy it.
I did it! I killed Hitler! I DID IT! That’s how it all started, yet before all that…
Time to change history and the world as we know it. Electricity is coursing through my body, as it turns into heat. The smell of my flesh burning is nauseating as I can barely stand on my feet. The pain of my flesh being torn apart into light is terrifying me. My body elongating and being dragged of the surface of the Earth, thrown into space as I lose my sight and become pure burning energy. I can’t breath. I can’t move. The only thing I feel is a pulse, all throughout my body going TADUM TADUM. After what felt like a few minutes everything seemed to have stopped. Then I started to move again. Faster and faster. It felt so easy to simply fall and fall. Yet all the freedom of falling, started to turn once more into a torturous ride. As the darkness and it all started to burn again. My senses started to come back to me. It is all pain. Every fiber of my being hurts. It is all excruciating, as I touch the ground once more…
I fall on my hands ready to throw up all over my boots. I quickly catch myself, cover my face with my hands, pull down my gas mask and throw myself on my back. I hold my breath for one moment, look around. The my left, dirt, dead or wounded men. To my right, men shooting one shot at a time with their rifles towards the enemy tranches. My legs are shaky as I try to get up. One man shouts in French, telling me to lay low. Once he notices that I am unarmed, asks me where my rifle is. Seeing that I don’t answer, he drags me next to a dead soldier and gives me the rifle of that dead man. Allons-y, Allons-y, he shouts at me pointing me towards the rest of the troops. Did you eat? Asks me the same man. I tell him no, since the whole journey left me on an empty stomach. He hands me a stale piece of bread and a piece of bitter dark chocolate. Telling me to eat, as he turns and goes to help some other soldiers. I quickly down them both, as an explosive hits close to the trench.
I have a few chances of doing this, but I don’t want to spend more time than necessary here, especially not years, I say to myself. A soldier next to me heard what I said and starts laughing. Yes, my friend. That’s what I told myself too when I first got drafted. That I don’t want to spend too much time here, especially not if I want to get home by Christmas, as they promised. I was 15 back then, he laughs nervously. Don’t worry I am sure, we are not going to catch Christmas here, this year, I tell him. Hell, I don’t want to even catch Halloween here, I say while laughing. Planes fly above us, explosions from all sides throws dirt on us, as we take cover. One single voice screams to attack. Finally, the boy says. As everyone around gets up on their feet with a smile starts climbing out, rifle raised in one hand, they start screaming and running towards the enemy line. Time to kill Hitler and change the world for the better. Time to live the fantasy we all had when we were asked what we’d do with a time machine…
Hope you liked this short story. If you did, don’t forget that you can choose which of the short stories from The Pilot Program 2020 can become the short story series of 2021 with your likes, shares, comments and views.
Don’t forget to also check out the rest of The Pilot Program 2020 short stories:
January: The Horrorscope, February: Tomorrow Never Comes, March: Hereditary Epidemic, April: Don’t Sleep, May: The Falling Tower: The Bloody Anthologies of London, June: Men Eaters
And if you’d like to donate, you can always do so to keep these short stories free at: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO