Little Boy Lost

This story takes place in 1899.

I don’t usually care about other people or how they act. But I can’t help but notice that there is a strange figure. A shadowy figure. He… or she? I can’t tell. I wonder… every time I look out the window, I see them. The teacher doesn’t notice, am I the only one who can see them? No… no that can’t be. Looks like they are gone. Strange, I thought-

“ What are you looking at?”

“Mind your own business, Walter.” Walter glared at me and turned around.

I’m usually not that rude, but Walter never minds his own business, and it’s quite annoying. I feel a little dizzy, but I guess I’m just nervous. My hands won’t stop shaking. I don’t know why. I just want school to be done… but then again I don’t want to go back home, but still, I don’t want to be at school either. There’s not really any place that I want to be in right now. I’m just tired. I would draw like I usually do in class, but my hands are really shaky. I’m actually really good at drawing. It’s fun drawing realism. I do alright in school, I prefer to be at school than at home. After my older brother ran away, I became the oldest boy, and I have all the “responsibilities”, I am constantly getting beaten by my father, and he expects too much and is very strict. That’s why I never want to go home, but I never really want to be at school either because I hate my teacher and most of my classmates. I keep looking out the window. UGHHH I get the feeling I am being watched.

Finally, it is time to go home. I am so dizzy and frightened. I don’t even know why. I’m afraid to walk home. But I also don’t want to stay here. The teacher is about to yell at me, I better go home. 

As I started walking, I had a strange and eerie feeling that someone was watching me again. I looked around and saw black fabric disappear into the trees. I started to run, faster than I had ever run before and didn’t look back once. As soon as I got home, I ran upstairs and slammed my door shut. I was panting hard and gasping for air. Once I could think again I looked out the window. I saw nothing unusual. I sighed with relief and laid in bed, but as soon as I was about to think in I heard the loud booming voice of my father,

“WHERE IS THAT BOY?!?!” My heart started to pound, then I heard my mother say,

“I didn’t see him come in, he may not be home,” to which my father replied,

“HE IS LATE? When he gets home I’ll give him a lesson of being on time that he’ll NEVER forget!”

  Just then I jumped off the bed and was running down the stairs to see my father. As I ran I heard my mother say:

“Please, be calm. I’m sure he’ll be here very---” 

Just then I entered the room. My father looked at me, his face red with anger, his eyes filled with rage. I looked right at him, not knowing what to say. My mother looked at me with worried eyes, she knew she would not be able to control my father.

“SO BOY, YOU’VE FINALLY DECIDED TO ARRIVE. WHAT MADE YOU SO LATE?” my father’s voice was blaring with anger. I almost couldn’t speak I finally mumbled:

“I wasn’t late, I just came and immediately rushed to my room. I’m sorry.”

“DON’T EVER GO IN THIS HOUSE WITHOUT ME KNOWING WHEN YOU COME IN. AM I CLEAR TO YOU, BOY?!”

“Yes, father.”

“Good.” my father said as he started to pick up a belt, “Now, to teach you a lesson on what happens when you break the rules. Turn around, NOW!”

I didn’t move, I was too scared. I just stared at my feet. This would be the 8th time I would be beaten this week, and I don’t think I can handle this. It seems like he is just making excuses just to beat me. Just as my father was about to hit me, my mother quickly said to my father:

“Dear, please leave him be. It won’t happen again.”

My father looked from her to me and suddenly said in a loud voice:

“GO TO YOUR ROOM AND DON’T COME OUT. NO SUPPER FOR YOU. IF I SEE YOU OUT OF YOUR ROOM I WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON YOU WILL NOT FORGET.”

I didn’t think I just ran into my room. When I was in my room I was filled with anger. I was powered with fury. I was filled with hatred for my father. I was punching the pillow and hitting myself. I was so mad that my head hurt. I should have a happy life, my family was not poor and I usually had plenty to eat. My life was only so terrible because my father was so mean. Since I’m the oldest boy, I have all the “responsibilities”. So whenever I or any of my siblings or step-siblings do something, I always get in trouble for it. Once I had calmed down more I started to think about what had happened that day. Everything was such a blur to me and I was having trouble recalling what happened. Then I remembered the shadowy figure and my being chased. I don’t know what to think. I can’t talk to anyone about what happened, and I don’t feel safe. I soon fell asleep. 

The stress of the day made me sleep until the next morning for school. I got up, got ready, and went out to eat a quick breakfast. Luckily I didn’t see my father, only my mother and some of the housemaids. I could ask where he was, but frankly, I didn’t care where he was, as long as he was out of my sight. As I was about to leave to walk to school my mother came to me, gave me a hug, and said,

“Have a good day at school.”

“Thanks, mother. I’ll try.”

Then I was out the door. I left earlier than my siblings and step-siblings because I wanted some alone time. I thought about yesterday and the mysterious person. I also thought about ways to get revenge on my father.  

I made it to school and was bored out of my mind. I kept nervously looking at the window, seeing if anyone was there. I had a feeling I was being watched. I looked out the window again and saw the same shadowy figure. I was so scared, and my heart was beating so quickly. I couldn’t even hear what the teacher was saying. When it was time for recess, I stayed in my place until the teacher had to go to my desk and yell, because I wasn’t paying attention.  School seemed to last forever, but it finally ended. As soon as it ended I ran out of school. I felt like a trapped animal. I felt like my life was going in an infinite loop. I ran on the path when suddenly I heard a voice saying:

“Freeze. Stand still. Don’t move a muscle.”

I stood still for a moment, then the voice said:

“Good, now turn around.”

I turned around slowly and looked the person right in the eye. The person was a female. She was wearing strange clothing that was all black and had very short hair. She was holding a gun-like weapon in her hand. Suddenly she asked me:

“Are you Adolf Hitler?”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just told the truth and said:

“Yes. That is my name.”

BANG, BANG! She fired the weapon at me. The world turned dark and I died quickly and painlessly.

-  - -

Tenley sighed with relief. Her mission was successful. It’s hard to believe this ten-year-old child and his Nazi party would be responsible for over 19 million deaths, Tenley thought to herself. Tenley could now return to the future and report that her mission was a success. Tenley and her organization are in charge of correcting major catastrophes in history. This had been the test run. If she came home and it succeeded they could save billions of people’s lives by fixing past mistakes. Tenley was relieved, she was done and it was time to go home; back to the 23rd century.

What do you think Tenley’s world looks like when she returns?