[November 1941]
"Snipers are everywhere. Be careful!" The captain shouted. Everyone nodded in agreement. They then made their way to a swampy forest. Just as they crossed the swamp, a shot rang out. The soldier at the very back was shot in the head. Everyone scattered to search for the sniper in the area.
Dmitry crept through the bushes, listening for any sound that might betray a sniper's presence. Another shot rang out, and he saw another soldier collapse. He realized his current position was dangerous.
He scanned the area keenly. Aha! The sniper's feet were visible. Light grey boots? No mistake about it, Dmitry thought. He took aim at the boots and fired. The owner of the feet screamed; sure enough, it was the sniper. Dmitry and the other soldiers immediately opened fire on him.
"A strange sniper. Exposing his feet while on duty," Dmitry wondered aloud.
"Who knows... You, guard that side!" the captain ordered. Dmitry promptly ran to the designated spot.
He circled the trees, watching for any movement. Suddenly, the atmosphere grew eerily quiet. Dmitry looked back, only to find his comrades gone. Torn between the panic of being left behind and the fear of the captain's wrath for abandoning his post, he simply crouched there in confusion.
Just as he crouched, a shell whistled over his head and exploded five meters away. Startled, he peered out from behind the trees. Enemy tanks and troops were advancing. He ran to catch up with his comrades.
"There's an attack in the northeast!" Dmitry shouted. Everyone ran in the direction Dmitry pointed. Sure enough, the enemy had arrived, and a firefight broke out. Dmitry and his comrades returned fire. Two bullets tore through the air, wounding both of Dmitry's shoulders. He was still alive, but his arms weakened. One of the soldiers he had met at the station hoisted him up.
"Come on, comrade! Let me help you." He dragged Dmitry to a tree, away from the crossfire. Dmitry’s vision began to blur as he steadily lost blood. Little did he know, there is another struck by a tank shell, and then everything went dark.
***
He desperately hoped for a swift death to claim him... He had hoped that the last blur would be the last thing he ever see before leaving this world.
Then his wish was granted! He saw a bright light, and there was Alexei right beside him.
"You sleepyhead. We’re here, you know!" Alexei teased. He blinked, realizing they were in a truck. They had arrived at the CSKA building. He could hardly believe his eyes. Was this the heaven his mother used to talk about, or had all that warfare just been a nightmare?
"Come on, get out! Do you want the driver to haul you all the way to the East?" Alexei teased again.
"You’re being unusually snarky!" he exclaimed. But he and Aleksei laughed it off, treating it as a joke.
They were welcomed by the leader of the Ensemble, wearing his signature friendly smile. It was hard to believe the war had passed so quickly, yet he was thankful to have survived—alongside his best friend Aleksei, of course. He walked with purpose until he came to an empty corridor and stopped abruptly. Standing before him was a young woman she had known for a long time. Darya!
He ran forward, arms outstretched for an embrace. Darya ran too, her face wet with tears. Just as they were about to embrace, he slipped and fell into a void. The girl was gone.
"Thank goodness, he’s alive!" a nurse said. He felt his body being lifted, then bandages being wrapped around both his shoulders.
"Where... where am I?" he asked. "At one of the field hospital, far from where you were found. It’s a tragedy other comrade who saved was killed by a bomb. Though it’s amazing... you were right next to him, yet you didn't suffer a single burn!" the nurse marveled.
"..."
"There, all done! Come on, get up; you're moving to that recovery tent over there."
Reluctantly, he walked toward the tent the nurse had pointed out. He cursed himself for hoping for too much...including the hope of dying in the war.
*Taken from 2013 archive I ever wrote