1940

Santa

Amidst the chaos of World War II lurked a much more sinister event. Hidden in the shadows amongst the devastating ongoings of the time was one of Hitler's soldiers. He went by the name of Nicholas, though he was soon given the nickname, "Saint Nick." To the outsider, he gained his nickname through his humanitarian work with the victim children of war. He vowed he was taking the children to an orphanage to prevent them from becoming involved in any war-like nastiness. But he was actually taking them somewhere much more sinister. Nicholas worked alone, and with Hitler to conduct unspeakable experiments on captive victims, conducting unspeakable "punishments" and experiments on victims that were taken captive. Though he didn't discriminate based on age, he did prefer children.

He had a strong interest in creating his own race. As a team, they conducted horrific experiments, including injecting dye into the eyes of twins to see if the iris would change colour. Bone marrow experiments were a popular choice, too. Transplanting it from one person to another, inspecting if they could be successful. These were just a few of the horrific experiments they conducted. They would do anything they could think of to the prisoners, consenting or not.

Prisoners were locked in monitoring rooms to keep track of the progress. All of progress was not enough for Nicholas as he desired to create something of his own. While working on a mixture of adults and children was scratching his itch, his main interest was to specialize in children. He wanted to create something mankind had never witnessed and hopefully never would again. His deep desire was to open his own centre where he could conduct unlimited experiments without the help or monitoring of other sergeants in Hitler's service.

“Tell Nickolas I wish to speak with him regarding a private matter,” Hitler said to one of his sergeants, Luis. Luis hurried without any hesitation into the experimental lab where Nickolas was at work on his lab rats. Once Luis reached him, he stood silent, not showing any emotion. Though, what he witnessed was common for Nazi testing and trials, it was scarring nonetheless.

Nicholas was hovering over his work desk, tools splayed out everywhere in no organized manner. He appeared to be searching for something, his hair a tattered mess of white curls. Luis spied a child on the lab table across from the one Nicholas was collecting tools from. The child looked either dead or under heavy sedation, though they didn’t usually use any aids to numb the pain for unassuming victims, so this child would have had some horrific injuries to be this limp. Nicholas acknowledged Luis without looking his way, “What do you want?” he asked in a rushed tone, squirting liquid out of a syringe.

Luis kept his order, not showing any emotion and keeping himself upright. “Adolf wishes to speak with you,” he said, keeping his cool despite his rage. As Luis was a part of Hitler's service, it was up to him and the others to look the other way, not assume, and not comment on anything that went on, despite how horrified they might be.

To this, Nickolas turned and to make eye contact, “Did he say regarding what matter?”

“No sir,” Luis replied stiffly.

“When does he wish to speak with me?”

“At once, Sir.”

Nickolas looked at his patient, “This will have to wait,” he sighed. He set the syringe down and walked out, locking the door behind him. He made sure that Luis was outside of it before leaving.

Hitler was seated at his place of business, his desk, as pristine as his appearance, dressed head to toe in his uniform, badges and all. Nickolas stood at the entrance of his office doorway, waiting for a signal to come in.

“Please enter my friend.” Adolf was seated at his desk, as pristine as his appearance. “I have a proposition for you,” Adolf stated as he stood and began to pace the room, “We have made some amazing discoveries through our experiments thus far. You have been doing great work, and so, I propose we take this study further. I have found a great spot in Antarctica. It is hidden and has a lot of room to expand. I believe you will do great work there.”

“Sir,” Nickolas started, “are you saying we are moving to Antarctica? What will happen to your duties here?” He scuffled about in his chair excitedly.

“No, my dear friend. I am saying that you will be moving there. Well, you will be stationed there, in your own lab. We will have your patients shipped there with you so you may continue your work,” He said. “Now, before you say anything, I know that you have been wanting to work on your own. Luis has told me of your desires,” He continued as Nicholas shifted uncomfortably in his chair, “And don't worry, I am not mad. You have proven yourself, and so, I would like to give you this.” He nodded in Nicholas’s direction.

“Thank you, sir,” Nicholas said, beginning to stand.

“You are most welcome.” Hilter shook his hand proudly. “Word is, you have earned yourself a nickname. Saint Nick, is it?” He chuckled.

“Yes, sir, some call me Santa, for my work with children,” Nicholas uttered, almost embarrassed.

“Well, isn’t that sadistic.” Hitler chuckled once again.

“Sir, what I am doing...what we are doing,” he said, “is for the good of the people.”

“Yes, that is a good attitude,” Hitler said, patting him on the back. “I will send word of your journey to come.” He nodded at him, sitting back at his desk, and releasing Nickolas from the conversation.

Back at his current lab, Nicholas unlocked the door to continue his sadistic passion, only to find that the child he was working on had disappeared. He gasped, searching desperately under all surfaces that a child could hide in, to no avail. Suddenly, he thought of Luis in the room earlier.

“I bet he took the child,” he huffed angrily, racing out the door and making sure to shut it behind him. After searching in every room leading up the large corridor, he came to a bedroom that multiple children shared. There he was, Luis, kneeling by the bed with a wet cloth to the child's head.

“What are you doing?!” he cried, marching toward them. “Give that child back at once!” He grabbed the child's lifeless body.

Luis spoke, “I found this child amidst a fit on your workshop floor. I had to do something,” he argued.

“You should have left it well alone!” Nicholas argued back. “Now give me that child so I can finish my work.”

“The child has perished!” Luis stood, his frame towering over Nicholas’s

“Perished?!” Nicholas was outraged.

“Yes, perished. I cared for the child, but it was too late.” Luis hung his head in shame.

Santa hit the wall with force. “Well, chuck the child on the pile with the other on your way out. You are released from the service for intruding on my private workspace,” Santa said angrily.

“Released?” Luis asked horrified. “You can’t do that. Only Hitler himself can release me.” he protested.

“I am sure he will agree with me, when he hears what you have done. So go ahead, Luis.

leave now,” he commanded.

Luis walked away.