alternatehistory.com

One day, a man came close to death. Within six inches in fact. Such an event is not wholly remarkable.

Millions come close to death, every day. A moment’s hesitation, one step in the wrong direction. That is the distance between life and death. Coming within six inches is of little note.

But what if you were to move things six inches or so?

Maybe little, maybe nothing.

Thousands die every day. Most are missed; their absence a tragedy for those close to them. Some aren’t missed at all; their death might even be celebrated. That is a tragedy all its own.

Either way, the wider world probably won’t take any notice. One man more or less makes little difference, except in rare cases and even then it will eventually be agreed that wider forces were responsible for whatever happened. Events would have followed the same path, more or less, whether the man lived or died. In the broad sweep of history, one man is much like another.

This may be true, broadly speaking. But the devil is in the details.

A certain day, a certain man and a certain place. Life or death can make a difference. The fate of the kingdom is in the hands of the rider and much rests on whether his horse was properly shod that morning.

To reiterate, one day a man came within inches of death.

Let’s move things a few inches.

Will it make any difference?

Maybe, maybe not.

But I’m curious all the same…
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