... ...
...I awoke from my sleep in a daze, and when my vision cleared, I was speechless... I was surrounded by destruction... There were charred remains of splintered wood and burst rubble, houses were wrecked and set aflame, the grass around me was burning, and the air reeked of boiling steel of destroyed vehicles and smoke of bullets that had blazed... But most of all, was the stench and blood of my fellow comrades, whom I saw strewn in several spots, with pieces of bone and flesh splattered about.
As I looked in sadness at the loss of the men, I began to see something more startling, German soldiers coming out of the streets to patrol the area. I picked up my knife and my PPSH and ran over to hide behind a couple trees, dodging their view. When they weren't looking, I dashed over to another tree, where I heard some noise, and I ran over to hide behind some rubble to see a grisly sight happening behind a building... Numerous Russian prisoners being lined up, all sad, yet quiet, as several German soldiers aimed their Kar 98k rifles and MP 40 guns at them, blazing sprays of fiery bullets that cut the prisoners all down in a very cruel and bloody execution.
Just next to them, German riflemen took turns shooting a small group of captured Russians, summarily executing them like animals, until two remained... Those two were finished off by crude stabs with bayonets. There were three others who were riddled with bullets, trying to crawl away, but a German with an MP 40 aimed and shot two of them dead, while a rifleman came up to the third and thrust his bayonet into the back of the third, twisting the blade until the Russian was dead... Then the Germans began to walk off, a couple remaining to light and smoke cigarettes.
I was infuriated by this execution of my comrades, but I knew there was nothing I could do for them... I needed to get out of here, find Dimitri, get back to Kamarov... If they were still alive.
The day entered its evening, so it started getting dark out, which could help conceal my movements at least. I hid behind a couple other trees as a few Germans walked by, moving my self as they inspected my trees, trying to stay out of their sight. Once they walked off I rushed over to another tree, crouching down as a couple other Germans walked by, then I made my way over to a larger grouping of trees.
Once I entered the forest like area, I hid behind a large tree... But once I peered around it, I saw numerous Germans walking through the forest, patrolling the area. I crouched down, hiding in the trees and grasses as the Germans walked by. I slowly moved through the bushes and hid behind different trees as several other Germans walked past, some inspecting the area surrounding my position, and making me move out of their view.
I kept hiding behind trees and bushes and quietly evading patrolling Germans, trying to keep out of their view. Two Germans came over near my bush and looked to inspect it, but I hid thoroughly in it, and after waiting, they eventually walked away. A few more Germans followed as the large patrol walked away, allowing me to rush past and get to another tree next to a creek, where I peered around and saw a group of Germans near a truck. Three were sitting on crates playing cards while the other two were dragging bodies of dead Russian soldiers off the truck's bed and throwing them into the creek... I listened in on their conversation.
"Helfen Sie mir mit diesem, ja? (Help me with this, will you?)" a German said.
"Warum sind wir selbst löschte hier, genau in diesem verdammten Wald... Ich habe keine Russkis für Meilen zu sehen. (Why are we even put out here, right in this damned forest... I don't see any Russkis for miles.)" a second German stated.
"Ich bin am Verhungern ... Wann wird Rudolph zurück mit etwas zu essen bekommen? (I'm starving... When will Rudolph get back with some food?)" said a third German.
"Ich denke, wir hier gedreht zu viele von ihnen. (I think we shot too many of them here.)" the first German said.
"Wen interessiert das? Diese slawischen Tiere glücklich sind alles, was wir taten, war schießen sie. (Who cares? These Slavic animals are lucky all we did is shoot them.) said the second German.
I laid down and moved across a line of bush, trying to keep them from noticing, and once I was clear, I stood up and moved to another tree. There, I saw a German just near me with his back turned, lighting a cigarette. As he stood there, I took out my knife and went up to him slowly, just before with sharp speed, I wrapped my wrapped my hand over his mouth from behind, and sliced his throat with my knife, just before quietly discarding the body.
Once I came up to another set of trees, however, I saw out into an open field, seeing the outskirts of a small village... Where I found an absolutely horrible sight... Wehrmacht troops in their regular grey uniforms were there along with more deadly Waffen SS soldiers, noticeable by their dotted green camouflage all standing with their guns ready, before a large group of Russian civilians, possibly hundreds, all terrified. Behind them, an SS officer was giving orders to the troops for their next action.
...This action came when the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS soldiers all aimed their rifles and machine guns at the group of civilians, and before the Russians could even become alert, the Germans all fired their guns, blazing furious hails of bullets that were brutally cutting the numerous civilians to pieces, the bullets spilling their blood all over the grass. The German soldiers kept shooting at the civilians, gunning any remaining down. Some tried to flee, but the Germans just aimed and shot them down as well. Some Germans shot off pieces of flesh and shot civilians multiple times, torturing them with their rounds. Others were crudely stabbed with bayonets, while many more got shot down by German bullets in a very bloody, cruel massacre.
I watched with deep fury, trying hard to contain myself, but I couldn't do anything, I could only see as the remaining civilians were shot dead in a pool of blood, those trying to crawl away only getting themselves killed by further bullets and bayonet stabs.
I then looked over to the left, where I saw another SS officer in black clothing, a youthful looking one with blond hair and deep blue eyes... That same one I saw through my binoculars when I was in that tower... That officer was standing in front of four captured Russian soldiers on their knees, with a second officer with glasses and a mustache standing next to him. The SS officer, then brandished his pistol, a Luger P08, aimed and fired at each prisoner, ruthlessly executing the captured soldiers with such icy sadism. He then walked over to a tree, where I saw that a fifth soldier, a young one, likely only sixteen or even fifteen, was standing on a chair, a rope tied around his neck with the other end tied to a branch above. The SS officer looked at the boy with a twisted smile relishing in the slaughter, just before he placed his jack boot on the chair and kicked it away, sending the boy dangling from the neck... And the SS officer just watched in pleasure as the boy struggled for air... And then stopped, becoming lifeless... I still couldn't do anything, so I was forced to move on.
I moved through the trees as I saw another wave of Germans coming through. I hid behind two large trees, seeing Germans walking past as I crouched down, crawling against the ground next to a line of bushes, just as Germans walked on the other side. I hid behind another tree as a couple other Germans walked by, slowly keeping out of view as they watched the tree, then I kept on moving through the bushes and grass.
I found another German standing before me, idly holding holding his rifle, looking around. I slowly walked up behind the man, quickly wrapping my arm around his throat from behind before stabbing him violently in the back of the neck, angrily twisting the blade until I pulled it out and threw away the corpse.
I hid in some bush as a small patrol of Germans walked through, then continuing on a small pathway... Right until a German appeared on the other end of the path as I came toward the end, becoming alert to my presence... And just as he raised his gun, suddenly, a figure... A Russian soldier... Emerged from the tree next to him, seized his arm around the German's throat and slice his neck with a knife. As I came up to the figure, who put away his knife and wielded a PPSH gun, I became very relieved when I saw his face... It was Dimitri.
"Dimitri." I called out to him.
"...Viktor," Dimitri said, looking surprised before becoming cheerful, "...It is you, you made it out." Smiling, the two of us hugged one another, joyfully relieved to have found each other still alive and well.
"I'm very glad your okay, Dimitri," I said, "What happened to the others?"
"They got out all right, I think," Dimitri replied with, "I held a position in a tree, covering them so they could escape... That's why I'm all alone."
"So how do we get out of here... If you have any idea?"
"Um... I heard there's friendly camp about twenty five miles South East of here... It's a start, but we'll have to move quickly, for I also heard their evacuating the camp... Command is pulling forces back further into Soviet territory."
"Well, then let's get moving, shall we."
We headed further up a pathway, where we encountered several other Germans patrolling the area. "Patrol," Dimitri noted, "Let them pass." We hid behind some trees as a platoon of Germans walked by, then headed down the pathway again, maneuvering through the trees, evading more German soldiers, and then we came upon two enemies standing on the pathway.
"They're in our way," Dimitri stated, "Aim for the one on the right, and fire when ready."
Taking heed, We both aimed our guns at our chosen targets, and after a brief moment of silence, we fired, quickly shooting them down, allowing us to move forward. Once we came out of the path, we came onto a road, but Dimitri held his arm out to stop.
"German vehicle coming," Dimitri said, "Stay out of sight."
We hid in some bushes and trees as we saw an Opel Blitz truck drive past, and they were followed by a platoon of German soldiers running after, a couple dogs with them... Once they were gone, we ran across the road and took position in the trees, and as we moved to another tree position, another patrol came around, several Germans with dogs walking with them.
"Let them pass," Dimitri said. We waited behind the tree as the soldiers and dogs searched the area, moving through the trees as German soldiers walked just by us, within distance so short I could reach out and touch... The problem though, was the dogs sniffing the area, hunting for their masters... Luckily, they didn't spot us and moved on, allowing us to move on as well. Going up the path, we encountered a German standing near a tree, causing Dimitri to say, "That svoloch is watching the road, we can't move unless he's gone... Shoot him down."
I aimed my gun and fired, gunning down the enemy soldier, then we moved up further, almost nearing the path as we came onto a grassy area laden with a wheat field. "We should be getting close to the road." Dimitri said.
However, as as we came out of the trees into the large wheat stalks, we noticed another presence among us in the wheat, soldiers approaching in green camouflage.
"Shit, Waffen SS," Dimitri said, "There's a swarm of them... Hide in the wheat field and follow me."
I remained behind him as we hid among the wheat... And that's when the SS troops passed, looking like shadows in the stalks. They were within touching distance as they brushed past me. I even had to slowly move so they wouldn't accidentally step into my direction. We waited nervously, but it paid off, as the last of the patrol went by, allowing us to move even further.
Upon entering another row of trees, we hid behind a couple trunks as we gazed on the other side... Finding yet another atrocity being committed... There was a large group of civilians, our innocent fellow countrymen, lined in the field we gazed at, with Germans aiming their guns at them. The civilians at the front of the group staring down the Germans all seemed to be holding hands with one another, remaining defiant... Just as the Germans blazed sprays of gunfire into them, bloodily cutting them all to pieces. One by one, countless victims fell, and the Germans kept shooting them until they were all dead... I watched in anger, both at the act and that neither of us could do anything, and Dimitri shared this feeling as I looked at him.
"I assure you, my friend," I told him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "This savage invasion of theirs on our country will cost them dearly with their own lives... With their blood."
"...Yes," Dimitri said, "...We should keep moving."
We moved down the trees until moving across a road, checking it to make sure it was clear first, and then we both went down a somewhat long pathway, where we found no Germans. As we brushed past a few trees, we came across a cabin sitting in the area. "We should check that cabin for any others." Dimitri said, and the two of us walked over towards the building.
"Be careful, Dimitri." I warned.
Slowly approaching the cabin door, we thrust it open and entered, aiming our guns in... Where we found nothing.
"Well, that's it." I said.
The two of us turn towards the exit, and found ourselves suddenly staring down the barrels of FG 42 guns aiming right at us as they were being wielded by three German soldiers, and ones I found unlucky to see... These ones were just like those same, very powerful Germans I faced in the train station, with their black M 40 tunics, their grey buttoned smocks and their balaclavas. These three German soldiers all aimed their guns at us furiously, just itching to shoot us down... But not until they got the order from their commander, who walked in through the door after them, coming in to greet us.
As I watched him come in as a ghost emerging from fog, I immediately recognized him as I saw him clearly... His youthful face with piercing blue eyes and a firm build, for it was that exact same SS officer I saw through the binoculars at the fighting at Kharkov, and when I saw him hang that young soldier earlier. I looked at him with anger and contempt as he held a cheerful and sinister expression, taking off his cap to show his blonde hair, bangs swept to the left side of his head.
"Well, well," the SS officer said, "What prey have I come hunted today?"
"You savage!" I shouted as I took a step towards the man, but I was stopped by Dimitri grabbing my arm and two of the enemy soldiers aiming directly at me, as well as the officer, who just kept his calm and fearless cool with a smile, keeping a hold over his holster.
"No, now, comrade... I see you are a feisty one, hm," the SS officer spoke rather calmly, "But, you'd be better watching your step." I kept my angry glare at the man, who just retained a calm sinister smile as he kept speaking, "You like what we've all done with the place... I think it gives a new air for this country of yours."
"You murdered them." I said through my teeth.
"We're just cleaning this place up, and making way for Improvements... Maybe you can come by and visit once we're all finished, It'll be my treat."
"You'll never win," I remarked defiantly, "We will drive you out."
"Perhaps... But I'd sure like to give you a terrific show before we leave. You've earned it for just how hard you've all been working, and believe me, I think you'll find it very entertaining... So, how is your day? Eventful, interesting?"
"Viktor... What now?" Dimitri whispered to me.
"Be quiet, Dimitri," I replied, "Don't tell him anything."
"Viktor, Dimitri?" the SS officer spoke, "You wouldn't happen to be Viktor Reznov... And Dimitri Petrenko, yes?" We both just glared at him with more intensity, making him brighten with a more twisted smile, "You are, aren't you... Well, how lucky am I, hm... Wonderful."
"...You know of us?" Dimitri asked suspiciously.
"Oh, of course I have," the SS officer replied, placing a hand softly on Dimitri's cheek, which made him slightly shudder, "You two are only the "Heroes of Stalingrad" themselves... With you more so, Dimitri."
"That is correct," I said, "He is a hero... And we'll keep hunting you until you're eradicated."
"Well then," the SS officer said, drawing his Luger P08, "It would be a liability to the Fuhrer's army to have you continue helping the Soviets," the officer then aimed his pistol at us, "...So enjoy it, Viktor."
Dimitri and I stood there, looking at the pistol barrel, preparing to accept out end... This was it apparently... As soon as the officer aimed his pistol at us, suddenly, a massive explosion hit the wall from the outside. We ducked as the fiery burst tore the wall away and knocked the officer and his three soldiers to the ground, just as the officer pulled the trigger, with the bullet flying into a wall instead.
"Move it, Dimitri!" I shouted, and then two of us picked up our PPSH guns and climbed our way out through the hole in the wall. I noticed that their was a smoke trail leading to the hole, which showed that the explosion was made by a rocket fired from a launcher... Someone was nearby, likely on our side.
"That trail shows that came from a rocket," Dimitri said, "There might be Russians around here."
Upon exiting the cabin, we looked to our left and found regular Waffen SS troops alerted to our presence. Four of them came at us, but Dimitri and I shot them down with rapid SMG fire, and then we continued on down the road.
We ran further past the trees, rushing as fast as we could as more and more Waffen SS soldiers chased after us, blazing a flurry of rounds that split through the trees. We evaded the incoming fire and took cover by the trees, then we both aimed and fired on our pursuers. I aimed and furiously shot three SS soldiers as Dimitri blazed covering rounds, then I fired again and gunned down another two. Dimitri aimed and shot a couple others as I gunned down two more. We both dodged more incoming bullets, and as Dimitri blazed more cover rounds, I aimed and struck another SS soldier with bullets, then Dimitri shot one other. I dodged another spray of bullets, then I fired and shot two others, just before throwing an RGD 33 grenade at the enemy, the blast taking out a couple of the SS soldiers pursuing us.
The firefight was intense, and these Waffen SS troops were more relentless than the regular Wehrmacht... But we could still handle them. One reason was that I fought even fiercer against them... All the German forces that came into Russia acted savagely, but these SS troops were even more murderous, the ones behind most of the slaughter of the innocent... I would fight with more ferocious anger to make them pay.
After Dimitri shot two more and I gunned three others down with furious SMG fire, we dodged another wave of enemy rounds as we moved further down the road. As we started running, Dimitri turned around and fired a couple bursts back at our pursuers, then he began running down the road again as I aimed and shot another to the right, then gunned down one more straight back. I then went up to another at the left who tried to swing his gun at me, but I sliced him down with my knife first.
We moved further down the road, running from the German bullets that chased us. Dimitri turned and fired rounds that struck a couple soldiers down, then I turned and gunned down one to the left before shooting two more to the right, then gunning one more straight away down as Dimitri ran over to a tree, blazing covering rounds and allowing me to run further up the road, then Dimitri shot one more SS soldier.
We both ran further down the road, and I turned to face the enemy chasing us, shooting one more soldier as Dimitri ran further up, with me following after. The two of us ran over to some trees, Dimitri taking position as he fired rounds that struck a couple others down, allowing me to move up to a tree and shoot down one other. The SS soldiers kept blazing intense rounds that flew past, ripping through the trees... But we reloaded our guns and, then we both aimed and fired, shooting several SS soldiers to pieces in a spray of bullets, then I aimed to the right to shoot a few others down. Dimitri blazed covering rounds that allowed me to move up, then I turned and shot another SS trooper, allowing Dimitri to follow me, and together, we both ran up the road even faster.
"We're almost out of the trees," I said, rather joyfully, "Keep moving, Dimitri!"
We almost neared the end of the road, where we saw there would be no more trees. An SS soldier came out from behind a tree and tried to use his MP 40 as a club, but I took out my knife and slashed him down while Dimitri aimed and gunned down another. I then fired and shot two others down while Dimitri blazed some cover and then we ran down the road... Then we finally passed the trees and entered an open ground, a ditch just before us.
"Where's our comrades," Dimitri said, "We followed the direction of the smoke trail."
That's right when we noticed two vehicles running in the distance to the right, Opel Blitz trucks... They quickly drove up towards us and parked near the other side of the ditch... But before I could feel defeated, I felt relief as Russian soldiers armed with PPSH-41 guns and PPS-42 guns jumped out of the back of the two trucks, but even more joyous when a man I instantly recognized stepped out of the driver's side of the first truck with a PPSH in hand... Lieutenant Mikhail Vylkalev himself.
"Mikhail," I said cheerfully as I ran up to him with Dimitri, "You're alive."
"You'll find it difficult to get rid of me." Vylkalev replied, then ordered to his men, "Form a defensive perimeter around the trucks! Use that ditch for cover!"
With that, the Russian soldiers all formed a defensive perimeter around us and the trucks, most of the Russians lining the ditch and aiming their rifles at the trees while some others took positions by the sides of the truck, also aiming their guns at the trees. In one of the trucks' beds, a Russian mounted a Maxim gun, ready to lay suppression on any incoming adversaries. Dimitri and I placed ourselves near a truck next to Vylkalev, also aiming our guns and ready to face those trying to hunt us... And when the pursuing Waffen SS troops emerged from the trees, they were all too surprised to find our new guardians.
"Open fire," Vylkalev ordered, "Send them all to Hell!"
The Russians were all firing their guns, blazing flurries of gunfire that cut numerous Waffen SS troops down, while the friendly soldiers by the trucks blazed intense covering fire that gunned down several others, with the Maxim gun on the truck's bed blazing rounds that pinned the enemy troops. I aimed and gunned two enemies down by some trees, then I fired more rapid fire that shot four others while Dimitri gunned a few others down with PPSH shots and Vylkalev blazed tense cover rounds. The Russian soldiers kept firing intense gun shots that cut several enemies to pieces as I shot two more, then Dimitri gunned down a couple others as I struck another SS soldier down with rapid bullets. A grenade took out another SS soldier in a blast as Vylkalev blazed fire that gunned down several others, then I fired intense gunfire that shot four more. The Russians fired more immense gun shots that cut multiple SS soldiers to bloody pieces, with the friendlies by the trucks blazing shots that riddled a few more with bullets, and as Dimitri shot a couple other SS soldiers, I gunned down two more as the Russian mounting the Maxim gun kept blazing suppressing rounds from the bed of the Opel Blitz truck.
The Waffen SS troops kept coming, blazing furious rounds intending to finish their hunt. But we kept them at bay with tense suppressing fire, with me shooting four more soldiers with SMG fire. The Russian on the Maxim gun kept blazing shots that raked the enemy advance, while the Russians fired their SMG guns and shot multiple more Waffen SS troopers. The enemy soldiers fired shots that raked at our positions back, but Vylkalev gunned down a couple SS as Dimitri fired and nailed a few enemies, then Vylkalev shot a couple more. I shot two others to the right, then as Dimitri fired cover shots, I fired and nailed four more enemies with PPSH fire. As the Waffen SS kept firing shots at us, as Dimitri and Vylkalev fired cover, the Russian soldiers all fired gunfire that cut numerous enemies to pieces. I then gunned down two more enemies to the left as the Russian on the Maxim gun blazed rounds that pushed the SS troopers back, then I shot two others to the right... Eventually, our defense was too much for the Waffen SS soldiers, and they started running back into the forest.
"Raze all these savage svoloches!" Vylkalev said.
It was a vicious skirmish, and as the fierce fighting raged, it was clearly in our favor, for the Waffen SS troops that came in to engage were gunned down until they were gone, retreating back into the forest... We were done here, which meant we had to pack up and get out of here fast.
"Men, gather your weapons and get on the trucks," Vylkalev ordered, "We're leaving!"
"Were you the one who fired that rocket," Dimitri asked as he and I walked over to Vylkalev, "Over by that cabin?"
"I saw you were in trouble and I intervened," Vylkalev responded, "So we mounted a rescue... We need to leave, before more Germans arrive."
All the Russians picked up their equipment and they started climbing onto the two trucks with them, and we started hearing faint shouts in German, so we had to move faster. With all the Russians sitting on the beds of the trucks, Dimitri climbed into the passenger seat of one truck as a driver entered the other side, then I went into the passenger side of the other truck as Vylkalev took the wheel. Once all the Russians were on board the trucks, we started driving down the road to the South East, rushing at great speed.
As our trucks sped down the road, Vylkalev turned to me as he drove and started speaking, "Viktor, I think you'll find that German officer back there to be interesting."
"You know something about him?" I asked.
"Yes... And those soldiers you faced at the Kharkov train station... Those were his men."
