Thanks for all the reviews. I'm glad you all are liking it so far. It's a weird idea but the idea just popped into my head and took over. And there's a million other things on my mind right now and they should all be taking priority over this...but this is much more relaxing and happy. So I need some fanfic therapy and you get to benefit from it! haha
"NOOO!"
Linka awoke with a start and sat up in her sleeping bag. The thought "he's gone" and "they took him" running through her head. She turns to where Wheeler was sleeping, only he wasn't there. She looked around the tent and saw her other team mates were fast asleep. Where was Wheeler? She crawls out of her sleeping bag and unzips the tent, then zips it back up.
Wheeler is sitting by the dwindling campfire, eating a hotdog, poking at the embers, and adding some more kindling to it.
"I knew you would be hungry," Linka says from behind him.
He jumps in surprise.
"Sorry. I did not mean to scare you," she says as she sits down next to him.
"It's cool. I just didn't hear you get up. I didn't wake you when I left did I?"
"Nyet. I had a weird dream."
"Me too! It woke me up and then I couldn't get back to sleep. I figured it was because I was hungry," he explains as he holds up the hot dog he just cooked as proof.
"I am a little hungry too. I hardly ate. Then when I saw you were not there, I uh…"
"You got worried?" he asks hopefully.
"Da. A little."
"Why?"
"You did not seem yourself. You looked worried in your sleep," she stops when she realizes what she's just admitted.
"You were watching me?"
"I…just happened to notice your face. It seemed troubled."
"How do you know that's not how I always sleep?" he teases, pressing her for answers when he notices her blushing.
"It is not like I have not seen you sleep before. You fall asleep all the time in the Geo Cruiser."
"And you sit there and stare at me, don't you?"
"I SIT ACROSS FROM YOU! OF COURSE I LOOK OVER AT YOU!!! I have to check and see why it has suddenly gotten quiet to make sure you are still alive!" she says as she nudges him with her elbow.
He chuckles and lets the issue drop.
"Wanna bite?" he asks as he holds his half eaten hot dog up to her mouth.
She takes a bite and smiles at him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. You want the rest of it? I'm starting to get full. That's my fourth one!"
"Geez Wheeler! Did you save any for tomorrow night?!" She says as she takes the rest of his hot dog and finishes eating it.
"I don't plan on being here tomorrow…do you?"
"Nyet. I hope not."
"Well then, you want the last one?" He asks as he holds up the last hot dog. "I'll make it for you while I tell you all about my dream. Like story time in front of the campfire."
"Ok. Da. That sounds like fun."
"Cool. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the weirdness of my dream."
Russia, 1942
The young soldier was unsure where he was going. He had left his camp in the middle of the night. He didn't know how he was going to get home, but he would worry about that later. First, he just needed to get away. He felt bad abandoning his squad. He loved his country, but he loved his girlfriend more. He didn't ask for this war. This was a European War. How did the US get dragged into it? Oh, that's right…Japan…so why was he freezing his ass off in Russia and not fighting Japan? As far as he was concerned, THEY were the enemy. This Hitler guy and Germany…that wasn't his problem. He'd heard the rumors…he hoped they weren't true. If they were, what this guy was doing…trying to wipe out a whole ethnic group? That was insane. And now he's invading any country that he can? He needs to be stopped…but until this guy tried to invade America, the soldier did not see the need for his army to be there. If he hadn't been drafted, he wouldn't be there either.
He didn't even know the name of the town that he was in. He saw a sign, but had no idea how to read it. Did anyone ever tell him that Russia had a different alphabet? Maybe he should've paid more attention in school. He didn't know much about the world. He never though he'd need to. He was going to get through school, then get a job. Probably at the mill just like his dad, his uncles, and his grandfather before him. It wasn't much, but it paid the bills. It supported the family, and he wanted a family to support. Which is why he was leaving the Army. He had to get back to Tracy before it was too late. Stupid war. It ruined his plans. He was barely 18 when he was drafted.
Then he saw them...they were moving towards him with tanks and trucks. It was a Nazi caravan making their way towards him, probably headed for Moscow. If they saw him and his American uniform, he was as good as dead. He ran and hid behind an old shed. Hopefully they would pass on the other side of the shed and he would be out of their sight. He didn't want any trouble. He just wanted to get home, so he sat down and waited.
Shortly after, the soldier heard shots. They were coming from the opposite direction though. He peeked around the side of building and saw another army headed towards him.
"Shit. It's the Russians!"
He was about to find himself in the middle of a battle between the Russian Army and the Nazis. He was beginning to wonder if maybe running away was a bad idea. He left the Army so that he could have a chance at making it home alive, now he might very well end up dead anyways.
If he made a run for it, he could make it to the woods. It was about 100 yards away, but the opposing armies were fast approaching. More shots were being fired, this time, coming from the tanks. Maybe they wouldn't notice him. He heard a loud boom and seconds later, felt debris raining down on him.
"That was close. Too close."
He made up his mind and took off running full speed towards the woods. A feeling like he never felt before ripped through his shoulder, the force knocking him to the ground. He'd been shot.
"Stay down, just stay down."
So he laid there in the snow as the battle raged on behind him, cold and bleeding, but still alive. Still conscious. Still painfully aware of his injury. The pain was enough to make him want to pass out, but he had to stay awake. He had to be ready to move when the fighting ended.
It seemed like hours had passed. Maybe they had. There were no more shots. The Russians were retreating.
"Damn. The enemy is advancing."
The soldier attempted to stand and on wobbly legs, walked towards the woods. He was light headed from the blood loss and knew that he needed medical attention, but he had to make sure it was safe first. There was a house. He was fairly certain that the shed that he had been hiding behind was owned by the same person who owned the house. There was smoke coming from the chimney so he knew someone had to be home. Maybe they would help him. After all, he was an allie to their country. Or maybe they would not want to get involved and send him away. What would he do then? It didn't matter, he felt faint and crumbled to his knees. He tried to push himself further, to stay conscious and keep going, but he could not fight it. He laid down in the snow and let the darkness overcome him.
To Be Continued...