Josef Rose from bed. Afraid feeling something in the air was off. Unable to pinpoint exactly
what was wrong. Feeling an immense feeling of danger, Josef checked his locks and tried his
hardest to fall asleep. But Josef knew he was no longer in his world.
Josef had always feared the things that go bump in the night, and tonight was one of those
nights. Unaware of his changing surroundings, Josef peacefully went back to sleep. Tomorrow
would be a big day as he was no longer in his reality. He woke to the normal chirping of birds
and peaceful sun, but something deep within was ringing with red flags. He checked around the
house looking for any sign of change. Maybe a bad dream he thought, not sure if he even really
woke up last night. As he got ready for work, he would soon realize what had changed.
He would out his front door and went on his morning walk to his neighbor, Mr. Kremer.
When he reached the front door and did his familiar knock, Mr. Kremer answered the door with
an unfamiliar “Guten tag”. Overwhelming confusion washed over Josefs body as he tried to
process what was different with Mr.Kremer, about the world around him. Leaving Mr. Kremer's
house and looking up at the dark stained sky, he knew he was no longer in his world. Instead of
the normal bright morning sky, there was a dirty smoke-filled sky. Absolute terror befell Josef,
as the realization of no longer being in his world came upon him.
Josef thought about his life and everything he could do to get back. Until then, he would
have to stay in this world exploring and learning more until he was able to leave. On his way to
work Josef looked around as if he was a child in a candy store. He looked around at the different
propaganda and monuments in remembrance of the “Great War”. He was able to figure out that
in this world, Germany somehow won the Second World War. As time passed, Josef would feel
more and more unsafe seeing the number of armed guards at every building.
An hour passed, he returned home. Now instead of an empty yard, Mr. Kremer would sit
outside. Josef passed and locked gazes with Mr. Kremer for a few moments before walking
inside. He needed to find out for himself what exactly happened. Feeling a growing sense of
dread grow every minute that passed. He turned on his computer and looked for any information
on how or why he got here. Looking for information of the Great War he found Germany not
only won but carried out plans of creating the perfect race. They continued with experiments and
completely exterminated Jews. Josef felt sick seeing all the experimentation the Germans did
with genetics. But almost as if it were a reward, He came across exactly what he was looking for.
Josef found the successful experiments with time the Germans had done. They successfully
created a way to completely stop the flow of time in a specific spot. This would be just long
enough to completely split reality and walk into an entirely new reality. This is exactly what
Josef had experienced. Somehow in his bed, someone in this reality had created a split and Josef
unknowingly fell through it. He knew he couldn’t stay in this twisted world any longer. He knew
what brought him here, now he had to figure out how to escape.
After his research, Josef went out and looked for any sign of the splits. It was said that they look
exactly like normal objects but will have a darker shade almost as if they were in the shade away
from any source of light. Hours passed and he was unsuccessful at finding one. He felt as if he
would be better off winning the lottery than finding a split. He returned home feelings almost
claustrophobic as if everything was closing in. He had no idea if people here knew who he was
or how he got here. Or if they’d come for him on a silent night without him expecting it.
Josef needed to get out soon, he decided to search day and night for splits or how to create them.
He went to his neighborhood store and bought energy drinks and prepared for what he would
have to do to escape. All left over money he put together and decided to save it for a chance to
create a split. He chugged a can and walked in a pattern combing through the city he hadn't
before. By midnight he found what looked like a science research lab. If worst came to worst, he
knew what he would do if he was unsuccessful in finding a split.
After another day of no success, he went back home and tried to prepare himself for the next
coming days. “I need to escape.” he thought. He went to scope out the lab he saw on one of his
walks. It didn’t seem there was much security, and on that moment, he prepared for war. He
would use the rest of his money and days preparing to break in and use their devices to get back
home.
Josef watched the lab long enough to figure out the daily routine of shipments. Every day at 3:50
and 8:45, shipments would be delivered. He decided the 8:45 shipment would be better for him
to make his entrance. He would wait for the trucks to leave, then he would attack the two front
guards and enter the building. With his leftover money he bought a handgun and some rounds
along with a small vest just in case he was hit too. From searching around the polluted town, he
found enough scrap parts to make an explosive in case he needed to break into the room.
He was ready, night quickly approached. He waited outside the lab watching the streets closely
waiting for the trucks to come. As the clock hit 8:45 he heard trucks coming down the road. He
waited patiently as they went inside for them to come back out. Twenty minutes passed and he
heard the trucks on their way to exit the gate. Now was his time.
The last truck exited, and he saw one guard waiting outside and he took his chance. He walked
up behind the guard and hit him hard on the back of the head. The guard fell to the ground he
took his keys and taser to use in stealth instead of the loud handgun. He walked in and knocked
out the other front guard.
He began making his way inside the lab. Avoiding anyone he could and knocking out
whoever he had to. He came across a loan scientist and acted quick. He grabbed the man
covering his mouth and taking him into an empty room. He pointed his gun and asked where the
time stopping devices were. The man spoke and Josef was unable to understand due to the
language barrier between them.
Josef brough the man up still covering his mouth and told the man to take him to the rooms.
They walked slowly through the building. Josef every minute or so pushed him with the gun to
keep control of the situation. The two finally arrived at the room and Josef looked in amazement
at the extent of their engineering. He knocked the scientist unconscious and began putting the
coordinates of his house into the machine.
Suddenly loud alarms and flashing lights went off. Josef realized one of the many guards
probably woke up and set it off. He grabbed the pistol from his back pocket and prepared to
defend the room while the split in time formed. He heard men rushing through the halls looking
in every room. He barricaded the door to give at least some time while the device worked on
making the split.
Banging at the door startled Josef as he didn’t expect them to arrive so fast. After the first two
bangs the guard shouted in German as he knew it was the room Josef was hiding in. More guards
came and began trying to break down the barricade. Josef got behind cover and prepared for a
fire fight with the guards. The first one entered as the shelf and chair were knocked away from
the door. Josef began firing at the startled guards as they tried to storm the room.
The guards reacted quickly jumping for cover and begging to fire back. Josef watched the timer
on the device in anticipation of it reaching its goal and creating the split. He continued firing
back and forth with the guards hitting and injuring some. He himself was hit in the process but
didn’t feel a thing due to the surge of adrenaline running through his body. He heard a beep and
new the time was now.
He looked over at the gauge seeing it's been filled, and the split has been created. He was ready
to risk his life and escape this place. He stood firing at the guards and running for the split. They
fired back at Josef one hitting his leg and another in the vest. He leapt for the split and just before
the guards fired again, Josef was back in his reality. Injured and tired, Josef began his journey
back to his house after finally escaping that twisted world.