A New Era

A Story by gabtimo

This is a short story I wrote for a contest at school, Even though I didn't win anything, everybody who read it said it was pretty good. I decided to post it here. Hopefully you enjoy it.

1908

Dr. Johan Schoepke didn’t know why he had to meet with this person. After all, he was the director of the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, one of the most prestigious art schools in all of Europe. He himself had a very busy schedule that included a meeting with the mayor. Given this, he could not comprehend why he had to meet with a man who had failed the entrance exam not once, but twice. To top it off, he knew that if this meeting went as he expected it to go, he would not be able to attend his duties at the temple. Even though, the secretary insisted that the man demanded to have a meeting with the director and would not leave until he had it. So, with no other choice, he reluctantly walked towards the office.

Young Adi was outraged. How could his painting skills, which he regarded one of the best he had ever seen, have failed the test to enter this school? Incompetents! He bet they couldn’t even tell real art when it hit them in the face. So he demanded to see the director, and promised that he would not leave the premises until they did so. He was in an extremely bad mood, and so was his friend Heinrich, waiting outside. In such a bad mood was he that he decided that he would get everyone to stop calling him by the nickname that his dying mother had given him. Finally, after thirty minutes of waiting, the director came in.

Johan was surprised at the appearance of the young boy that stood before him. He was about 1.70 meters. This was fairly tall for his tender age, which he estimated at around eighteen years of age. Yet, he was as skinny as a stick and he was most definitely not strong at all. Certainly not a man that should be making demands of this magnitude. Yet, he seemed as if he had a strong way with words, which was evident when the man sprang up and started giving him a speech about the injustice of their choice.

“Slow down there! What seems to be the problem?”

“The problem, sir, is that I cannot believe that I have gotten turned down by your school not once, but twice! Surely my paintings are good enough to be appreciated by a man such as yourself!”

“As a matter of fact, I have already reviewed your paintings and I was quite surprised at that you considered yourself an artist,” stated the director. “You have good drawing skills, but you think inside the box too much and like to draw with a lot of straight lines. You have the skills to be an excellent architect, but sadly lack creativity.”

“Well sir, I am visibly outraged! I cannot believe that a man of your caliber would regard these fine painting with such low esteem. I implore that you reconsider your choice.”

“Look, young man, I have absolutely no time to reconsider, for I have to go to the Jewish temple in less than thirty minutes. I would also like to point out that you have no jurisdiction here. I hope you have a nice day,” declared Dr. Johan.

“Oh, so I see you are a Jew. Typical!” blurted Adi.

“I have no need of your anti-Semitism here, young man! Now I highly suggest that you show yourself out of the premises before I get someone to escort you out! Have a nice day.”

1938

“Sir, we have found the man you are looking for!”

Young Adi was not so young anymore. In fact, he was one of the most powerful men on Earth. Also, nobody called him Adi anymore except his beautiful wife and his friend Heinrich. So he was not surprised that his forces had found the man he was looking for, but he was surprised that it took them this long. He had been looking for this man since 1934.

“He was hiding in the house of one of his neighbors. We have arrested them also, sir.”

The young officer reporting the news was pretty scared. He was of decent rank, but he had never had to report to the top man before.

“Bring him in.”

The man that the officers brought in was about 70 years of age and was short, yet he was extremely malnourished. He could barely walk, probably due to the beatings that the police had given him when they found him.

“Leave the room,” commanded Adi.

There was a long silence after the police left. Broken only minutes later when Adi decided to speak.

“Hello Dr. Schoepke, how are you doing today?”

“Hello, Herr Führer,” spat the former director, “or do you still prefer to be called by your nickname, Adi?”

“I think Adolf will be fine for now. Also, I would like to point out that you are in no position to make such rude remarks to the only person that is keeping you alive. Did you know that the Gestapo has permission to shoot any Jewish person, no questions asked?” remarked Adolf.

“Very well, Adolf. Why have you been looking for me all these years, when I could have just been sent to the concentration camps like everyone else?”

“I have been waiting for you to ask you a single question. Do you remember our conversation all those years ago? Well, my question is, do you know reconsider your option of not letting me into your school.”

“Well, Adolf,” declared the director, “back then I had no idea that the sting of a bee could launch the end of the world. Do you see what you have done to my people?”

“Oh but this is not the end of the world!” interrupted Hitler, “this is the beginning of a new era. Also, I know perfectly well what I am doing to your ‘people.’ Sadly, it is a must if we want the dominant race to rule over this world.”