Ch 16 At Mikhalech's Cabin

Whether it was little boy Vanechka ten years ago or today's scout Ivan, they all thought the most miraculous and heavenly building in the world was none other than ranger Mikhalech's cabin. This almighty old gramp could magically pull out anything you need from unimaginable corners. Ten years ago, old gramp brought out sour milk, buns and fruit tarts for Vanechka and his little friends; today, he brought out bullets and medications for Ivan and his fellow scouts who were in desperate needs. There was even a hand-drawn map of the German army layout.

"The Germans searched here many times, but they could never find this cellar. All the goodies are hidden in there." said the old gramp (almost as tall as Ivan) as he rocked his two brushes of beard, taking care of the wounded lieutenant meanwhile flaunting to the scouts who were warming themselves by the fire stove. "What are you planning to do?"

They quickly made the decision of leaving the lieutenant here for gramp Mikhalech to look after while the three of them setting off to Bereza, to find out the location of the commanding office then immediately return to their own people. There wasn't much time left till the date of the counterstrike.

"Hold, young man." Old gramp pointed to the military coat on Wang Yao—it was in one piece before they left the base, but now had several rips and holes after days' arduous mission. "Wear this. It's warmer." He handed over his own coat. Before Wang Yao could thank him and politely refuse, the gramp continued as if speaking to himself, "I won't go broke by lending you a coat! Look what aweful shape your coat is! Leave it here and I'll patch it up for you. You'll come by here when you return anyway."

"His entire gestures are so coordinate, so nimble and elegant." thought Ivan. "Even when he's changing."

Wang Yao folded the military coat that he just took off and handed over to the old gramp. In a time of less than half a minute, he was standing there in his winter jacket only, not at all noticing of Ivan's absorbed gaze of fascination upon him. The young body in front of his eyes was finally freed from the burden of his everyday long coat, that even a thick layer of winter jacker could not make the slender and shapely figure any more brawny.

As Wang Yao put on old gramp's coat, Ivan even felt a hint of regret. Then, he saw Wang Yao hunched his shoulder involuntarily like a child sneaking into adult's clothes and attempting to prop up the oversized shoulder parts. All of a sudden, there was as if a small soft paw grabbing Ivan's heart, making him unable to breathe.

"Oh, you…" Ivan's lips quivered soundlessly. "You thought your small shoulders could bear it all…"

Wang Yao turned around. The swaying orange light from the gas lamp swept across his face, lighting up a subdued smile on the corner of his mouth. To Ivan, for a moment, it almost created an illusion of festival, as if Wang Yao had just finished dressing up and was about to go to a festive party with them. Just like many years ago, he and sister Tonya stood in front of their house, waiting for little Natasha to finish tying the last bow on her blond hair; then they would walk hand in hand to the new year's dance of the village and play till dawn…

As the old gramp sent them out to the door, he said:

"Vanya, if you saw something in the village, don't be too surprised. I have to warn you beforehand… Mishka was hanged by the Germans with five other guerilla fighters." A ruthless expression appeared on old gramp's face. "They were sold out by Dimka, just because the Germans listed out rewards. That bastard didn't know I was the guerilla troop's contact, or else, this pair of old bones would be swaying on that damn hanging pole with Mishka."

Ivan felt the whole world shook before his eyes. Back then, among the Bereza boys who came to old gramp's cabin for tea and snacks, three of them were best friends—Vanya, Dimka and Mishka. In his memory, Dimka had been an active boy since grammar school, always trying to be the hero when they play fighting games; compared to the two of them, the quiet Mishka did not stand out and was always assigned to sidekick roles under the bad guy.

Vanya, do you really think that you knew your best buddies? You knew their looks and habits, their likes and dislikes, but you didn't know the most important thing—their souls…

They had reached the end of the forest. Air was frigid and crystal clear like ice, allowing them to look over the gleamingly crystalline snowfield emitting a shade of blue from the reflection of the starry sky, and, in the center, cradled the village of Bereza like an infant in mother's arms.

Taking one more step, as Ivan knew, they would be walking out of the forest's merciful protection and he would also be one step closer to his dear hometown occupied by the enemy. Just then, he heard Wang Yao's low voice.

"Have you thought of what to do if we all died?"

He and Egorov were suddenlly dumbstruck. Wang Yao's voice was as though precipitated in the icy air, sounding peculiarly chilly.

"There has to be one man alive…to go back and tell people how Pavlik and everyone else sacrificed their lives. Vanya!" Wang Yao suddenly raised his head, looking at him, "Don't go into the village, Vanya! Let me and Egorov go… Everyone in the village knows you. If it was like old gramp said, then, someone would sell you out."

"What's the matter with you? All these doom talks!" He was becoming angry, "Do you just assume that we'll be caught by the Germans?"

"But what if? When we first started off, we never expected to be in this situation either. Your parents are all in the village. If someone sold you out, maybe the Germans would torture them in front of you, or maybe they would torture you in front of them…"

"Wang is right. We must consider the worst case." The former guerilla fighter Egorov cut in, "Although I have fought here before, I am not local. Nobody here knows me and Wang. Go back, Braginsky! We will soon come back."

Wang Yao suddenly stepped up towards him and seized Ivan's wrists tightly into his palms. He could feel that Wang Yao was now tipping his toes so that he could see his eyes levelly. That pair of dark round eyes like his Kostya…

"Go back, Vanya." Then, with a voice only the two could hear, he said, "Forgive me…"

Big devil Ivan Braginsky, in his twenty years of life, surrendered for the first time. "Fine, I won't go into the village with you." Then he relentlessly added, "But don't you dare asking me to leave without you two. I will be waiting right here, on the lookout for you…" although he knew very well that looking out from here had no use at all!

Egorov gave him a solid hug, then Wang Yao. As Wang Yao hugged him, said, "If you sensed anything fishy, go alone. Understood?"

Ivan was searching words to disagree with him, but his throat was like blocked by ice and snow, suffocating and cold. In fact, it was not only the throat—the entire body was nailed to the ground, no longer under his control, except that pair of a scout's eyes performing the faithful duty, gazing at their back till nothing could be seen.

-TBC