It was a cold day, a bitter cold day and the men were crouching around a fire in the main hut. Nearly 2 month they had been fighting. Nearly 2 month they had stood their ground. Longer then anyone expected. A tiny nation against a behemoth, the biggest country on earth. But Kollaa had hold. And though they had been stationed far in the north, on a little bridge, they still had seen their fair share of battle. With twenty men they had build this outpost, twelve guarded it now. One Sauna, two barracks, one of the precious Anti-tank guns, this bridge with a small road could help an attack...or let the lines collapse. There never had been many, after all this fighting there could only be less. And one machine gun, an old model. The rest had rifles. The sun had barely shown it self over the treetops and no one really wanted to go outside when Matti, came in. "Tanks! On the road. And infantry." His face, barely visible under his coat was shaken, pale of fear. And grim with resolve. A resolve they all shared. They wouldn't run. Never. Kollaa kestää! They wouldn't retreat, come hell, come the whole Red army.
A few seconds, everyone just stared, the attack came surprising, but then everything went with the efficiency of a well oiled machine. Mikko, Lauri and Sauli took the gun, and while Lauri took aim, at the road, the tanks were just a far away hum of the engines. Aleri took the machine gun, the rest spread out along the build defenses. Snow over sandbags, impossible to spot, until they opened fire.
"Everybody ready?" Carl's voice was a calm and collected as ever, best shot of the group and highest ranking officer he had lead them through a few battles. And knew what he was doing. "Hold firm. At least they'll be hard to miss." One or two grim chuckles, the rest lay silent in the cold. Then the first tank emerged from the treeline. A BT-7, then another, infantry, marching in columns, between the tanks. Some T-26. Five...six...seven tanks. And at least seventy man...against twelve man...and two heavier weapons...
"Don't shot...there's enough for everyone." Carl's' voice was quieter then before...no need to draw attention. All the while the first tank nearly reached the bridge. Infantry started swarming a bit taking firing positions...Slow...and way to late..."Fire." One command...and hell broke loose, like one man ten men fired, eight rifles, one with his machine gun, ripping through the unprepared line, raw recruits. Mowing them down one by one. Screams sounded over to them, as Ivans ran for cover, ducking behind whatever they could find. Lauri's' first shot hit the front of the enemy tank, ripped through the armor, directly into the stored ammunition, causing a sheer firework and a burning wreckage, from which only one man escaped. Screaming and burning he crawled from the hatch, jumping down into the snow, though he never reached it. At least not alive, a salvo from the machine-gun punched several holes into him, before wandering on, causing soldiers to die, or jump for any cover there was. Carl on the other hand was ice cold, tranquil fury was the one emotion he felt when he took aim, shot, every bullet a hit, the others more or less just fired in the general direction, scoring some kills, but by the time the second tank got a hit right into the turret, one of the T-26 had figured out the general location of the enemy, and the roar of the cannon ripped through the air, dwarfing all other guns. For a moment it was utter silence. Then Aleri opened up again, shortly after him the other tanks, shells hitting the makeshift defenses, that while holding still took a beating, causing the defenders to duck for cover. The ambush had failed, despite them having scored some good hits...but now it was an open fight...and they where outnumbered. In every single way. Bullets whizzing around him Carl saw down the lines, Simo was smeared over the wall, a tank had hit him, directly, and while their gun had added two more tanks to the burning wreckage, the others had figured out where exactly the shots came from, and returned fire. For a moment, everything looked great, the first shot had gone into the air, far above the gun, the second had hit way too low, but then with cruel accuracy three more shots tore through the light armor of the AT-gun, one scoring a direct hit into it's ammunition, destroying every hope of holding against the tanks. All the while every time the Fins had to stop firing the Russians advanced. Slowly, step for step, and thanks to the Machine-gun with heavy casualties, but they got close to the frozen river, and the number of defenders had gone down to a mere six men. With, without him. And now the tanks turned their turrets to Aleri, who made the wise choice to grab his gun and relocate, as quick as his frozen fingers and legs could carry him and the gun.
A curse came from Carl's' lips. They would fall, they had a few minutes, then they would simply be overrun...if only...he could take out those damn tanks...He closed his eyes, when he felt a pat on his shoulder, another soldier, young like them laying besides him. He hadn't seen him before but he carried a backpack full of petrol bombs, and he would welcome even the damn Nazis them self, if they would show up with some petrol bombs, or better some tanks. And even a young...but weird looking guy...something was off about his eyes...they seemed ...violetish brown... .somewhat... no time for that.
"You, come with me." That probably came out harsher then he wanted, but hell, he had no time for softness. And the man followed him, crouching along the defensive lines, along the river, until they where far enough away to cross safely...somewhat safely. Slowly they approached the ice, as close to the ground as they could, though in vain. One Russian had spotted them, but a bullet, unheard during the firefight, from the stranger, great marksman...as it seemed...cut everything he could have said short, and on the other shore they both ran into the woods. Three tanks where still up, two Bt-7 and one T-26, shelling the fins with merciless resolve. Infantry advancing over the river. Only held back when all tanks had fired, the Fins had a shot chance to shoot back "We need to stop them..." "Agreed, here, take few of those, a drink to go with Molotov's bread baskets." Gallows humor. Bombs and they made a joke of it. But heck, this was good enough to repay them. "You the tanks?" "Sure." And so the stranger slipped off, ran towards the tanks, still ducking as good as he could, while Carl started to pick of the Russians from behind. One, two, then they realized what was happening, one of the tanks started to turn, as well as some russians, but he was prepared. Ducking into undergrowth he changed position, took another shot, changed position again. Just keep them busy! He only allowed himself one glace to the right, but it was enough, the strange helper, he seemed awfully young, and still competent...with some...oldness, he had seen a lot...funny what you could realize in one single look, when adrenaline rushed through your veins. But what was important, he had nearly reached the tanks and one of his hands flung forward, fire exploded over the engine of one of the tanks. Then they both jumped up, sprinted to their next position, with russian fire all around them. But like a gift from heaven Aleri decided to open up with his machine gun, chewing through the men on the ice. The Russian attack crumbled and turned into a rout. Russian ran around Carl, so close he could have touched them, but nobody attacked, just away from this deathtrap. But he wouldn't let them get away, not now, just like the other person, who was torching the second tank, he pulled out one of the bottles, and flung them into the fleeing charge. Anyone who got away...who got away...he was torching men...other people...he started to stumble, only slightly, felt a burning on his leg. With a clouded mind he slowly looked down, his leg was bleeding...the screams of the wounded slowly died down when his men finished...them off...and then the stranger approached. Smiling, despite the bloodshed. "You and your man, you really saved me." The pain slowly crept slowly up Carls' spine and into his head, mixed with his thoughts...his hand had killed so many men...and they would kill many more.. "Wi you... ...without you we would have been tankfodder, would have been dead like them..." he gestured towards the river, with the bloodstained ice. "...wha...whats your name?" "Fi..." The man stocked...and when Carl slowly looked over him he saw blood...wounds...too old from this battle...though the blood looked fresh... "Fi?" The man shook his head, seemed to think. "You can call me Tino. But I got to go, will tell someone about your situation though, hold firm." Then he turned around and in a quick march went the way back deeper into Finland. Carl himself only followed him with his eyes...he should think about it...when he could think a bit clearer...but...but...now he had to go back to his men...saving Finland from the Ivans.
Well, my first story over here. My first storie in english. So yeah, I hope you like it. And I hope I didn't f... up the Genres.
