“Apology”, by Sam Ferree
“Apology” is a 2011 science fiction short story by Sam Ferree. A man finds a time traveller in his apartment, who’s there to kill him.
Non-Spoiler Summary
The Bad Day Company has found someone who doesn’t matter at all to history, and has arranged the law so they can send people back in time to kill him, repeatedly. For profit. “Apology” is the story of one of these murders. Except that the putative killer talks to him, first.
Why should you read it?
The writing in “Apology” really makes the emotional case for our victim trying to talk his way out of being killed, and the reactions that his… assassin has also ring true. The story isn’t long, but it’s moving.
Where to find “Apology”
The story was originally published at Daily Science Fiction, where you can still read it online.