The Great War

Brave as he was, entering burning houses to rescue people and pull out corpses as 515 German planes rained fire on Coventry, Henry Tandey could not quench the fire of guilt burning his conscience.

“All these wouldn’t have happened if I pulled that trigger.”

Twenty-two years ago, they were winning the war. A cloud of despair hovered over the scattered german army.

Victory was in the horizon. Also in the horizon was a young german soldier, about his age, maybe a little older.He aimed.But as the soldier drew closer, his face carried all the weariness and despair of The Great War.“He’s injured,” Henry thought. What honour is there in killing an injured man?He lowered his weapon.In the distance, the German soldier nodded in gratitude just before he took off.

“How does it feel knowing you spared a man who caused the 2nd World War?”

The voice coming from somewhere in the ruins of his house belonged to a stranger who emerged from the shadows.

“Who are you?”“Someone who can help you set things right. You can still change this. What would you do if you had him in your line of fire?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. What honour is there in killing injured people?”

“Let’s put that to test,” the stranger said, and as Henry blinked, the smell of gunpowder, blood and war filled the air.

Standing in his line of fire was the young soldier. He aimed his weapon. As the soldier drew closer, he saw the despair of The Great War on his face. He pitied the soldier and the great burden that his shoulders would carry.

“Iactura paucourm serva multos. Sacrifice the few to save the many.”

He pulled the trigger, lodging a bullet between the eyes of Adolf Hitler.