Stealing this idea from Chaos (go check out his stuff if you haven't already, they're quite good). Basically, I'll edit this to write short stories that I don't feel need to go up on my DevArt (that and the people on DevArt are an insanely toxic community, I tend to notice). Each part will go under it's own little heading, of course, to separate "this" from "that". Of course, I don't mind if any of you comment on them; though it might be nice to have some feedback.
"Alone"
It had all seemed to happen in just a flash, a "poof". I remember waking up like any normal day. In fact, it was so normal, the doctors' daily report had been laid at the foot of the bed like every day before. But it was all different.. silent. I crawled out of my bed, a shocking pain shooting through my legs which made me collapse the second my feet touched the cold, marble floor. I beat my fist against the ground, pulling what strength I had to stand up. I reached my right hand out to grab something, anything, to help me stand up. A small bar coming from the wall, a towel handle.
My legs ached as I pulled myself up against the wall. I could hear the flakes of plastic that acted as coating on the handle crackle and push into my palm. Holding myself up against the wall, I used my left hand to open the curtains. The light that came through was almost blinding, pulling my head away immediately to shield my eyes. A cloud, or some other object, moved in front of the sun; the room suddenly turning dim again. I was able to turn back to the window.
Outside there was nothing. The usual people, the busy and the lazy, their cars blaring and racing through the streets below and the businessman who'd trip and lose all the files he was carrying only to be helped by the beautiful young lady who had been feet away from him; they were all gone. Crows flew past the window, street lights flickered below and pieces of newspaper fluttered in the wind. But yet, there was no one around.
It felt like all but a dream; a hallucination. I turned back to the bed, shuffling myself against the wall before I was able to reach the comfort of the mattress. I reached out to the doctors' report that had been left behind. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. My name, age, date of birth; everything was as it had always been before, save for the update on my condition. What was lacking was a signature; as if the doctor who had been writing it had suddenly vanished, leaving only a speck of ink left from the point of his pen. I looked back up at the window. The sun again almost blinded me, but this time, I didn't back down. I stood back up, but without the aid of the wall and handle, made my way back over to the window.
"Being human is the most terrible loneliness in the universe." - AA Attanasio.
"Red"
"Listen up. Stavka claims that Fritz is retreating on all fronts, but they still want us to make sure our own lines are secure. While we wait for reinforcements, we've been ordered by the Captain to patrol the front during the night."
"Shiiit... a tank in the open plains is just asking to be shot at.", replied Dima.
"Don't worry. Most of forces ahead of us are Italians, and they lack proper anti-tank equipment.", replied Sergei.
"They're determined fighters though.", mumbled the Rookie. The Rookie was a replacement for our old loader, Danilov, who died when the first German Tigers started rolling towards us. Though most of us were bitter about having the new guy with us, it was better than not being able to fight at all.
"Ha, you would know Rookie! Maybe Mario's been giving you lessons!"
"Stow it Dima. Listen. I want all of you at the command post by nightfall."
"The tank is cold enough during the day, I can't imagine it at night.", muttered Dima.
"Make sure your coats, hats and gloves are all clean and dry. It's gonna be a long night."
When nightfall came, I felt an uneasy feeling in my chest. My body did not wish to move, something in my mind was telling me that something was not right. After a few minutes though, I was able to convince my body to move. I grabbed my gear and made it out across the snow towards the command post. The T-34 Was sitting in the open, the white paint blending with the snow almost. Dima was standing next to it, shivering.
"H-holy shit, he's finally awake! You t-took your fucking time!", he yelled.
"Nikolai, get in the tank. Make sure everything is in working condition. We haven't used the thing since Danilov's death.", ordered Sergei.
I jumped into the tank. I tested all of the controls, made sure the shells were fitted correctly and checked the fuel and engine. "Hey, Dima!", I yelled.
"Y-yeah?!", he replied.
"I think something's stuck in the exhaust. Check it for me!"
"F-fine!.. Uh, I don't see any-"
I started the engine, and from what I could tell, exhaust was thrown out straight into Dima. He was yelling while me and the others laughed about it. "Enough fun and games. Get in."
I kept the tank driving at a steady pace; not too slow so that we were open targets, but not too fast either. Sergei was able to whip up some hot cocoa for us while he sat staring across the plains with the hatch open. Dima was still shivering and his teeth were even chattering.
"Dima, we haven't got any hostiles. Let the Rookie check the gun; he's going to need the experience."
"Fine.", he replied, moving out of the way. "Fucking hell Rookie, you messed up all the shells!"
"I'm sorry, alright! I was just making sure that they were all clean!"
"The fuck does that matter?! Do you think Fritz gives a shit if the shell you fire at him is nice and shiny to his exact specifications!"
"Stow it, alright. I don't want Stavka to have to send a search team for our dicks because you two couldn't be quiet.", interrupted Sergei.
Both of them groaned angrily, but no further insults were thrown at each other. There was a few moments of silence before the Rookie spoke up again. "So, how long have you all been fighting?"
"As long as I can remember.", replied Sergei. "I think my first battle was at Khalkin Gol, against the Japanese."
"I, Corporal Dima Oktyabaska, have been serving our glorious Red Army for over a year now."
"Wow, didn't need to be fancy about it."
"Shut up."
"What about you Nikolai?"
"I've been serving for awhile now. I don't know how long exactly, I haven't tried to keep track.", I replied. "When Fritz took Kiev, I immediately opted to fight. Most of my family, primarily my mother and sisters, objected my proposal. But my father told me I was right, and he did everything to persuade the others that I should join up. By the time I had finished my training procedures and was about to get to my first fighting, my father had already moved my family beyond the Urals."
"Damn...", replied the Rookie.
"We still talk through messages, though it can be hard to get through sometimes. Mostly we just talk about how things are going."
"Nikolai's a family man, you see!", interrupted Dima. "He's the best damn soldier in this army if you ask me; hell, he'd throw himself in front of a bullet to save someone else! Ha-ha!"
Our conversation died down soon after. It became silent again. There was nothing but snow and a few trees for miles.
"It's quiet out here. Way too quiet. I don't like it.", mumbled Dima.
"I don't like it either; because you're the only moron who won't stop talking and Fritz is probably getting upset hearing your voice just like I am!", yelled Sergei.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang. The whiz of a shell flying past us filled the air. "H-holy shit, it's a Panzer!", roared Dima.
"Back us up! Identify target!", commanded Sergei, who had already closed the hatch and was back in the tank. Dima threw the Rookie out of his seat and was quickly aiming the gun, trying to find where the shot had came from.
"Bingo! Ahead of us, straight on!"
"Get us close Nikolai!"
"Is that safe!?", yelled the Rookie, confused.
"It's our best bet; our 57mm can fire faster than his 75!"
I closed distance, driving at full speed towards the Panzer. He fired again, and despite my attempted angling of the tank, it hit; though it luckily bounced. "Fucking shit!", roared the Rookie. Most of the 57mm shells were thrown out of their hold.
"It only bounced, keep your cool!", replied Sergei.
As we got only centimetres from the Panzer, I began to turn the tank, pulling right behind him as his turret followed us. "Eat this you fuck!", yelled Dima, firing the gun.
The shell barely missing, bouncing against the turret armour. "Nikolai, move!"
Suddenly, the Panzer fired again, hitting right into our front. The tank rocked, and I felt as though I had blacked out for a moment. I had been thrown to my side, crushing my right arm against the wall of the tank. "Nikolai, hey! You alright!", yelled Dima, his voice muffled. The Rookie too had been injured, his head having smashed against the loading mechanism for the 57mm. He was bleeding severely from his forehead, dripping into his eyes.
"Nikolai we have to move, now!", roared Sergei.
"He's going to shoot any second!", yelled Dima. Amazingly, despite his injury, the Rookie reached out and managed to load another shell. As the Panzer was about to fire at us, Dima pulled the trigger. The shell hurtled into his rear, detonating the ammo rack. The turret of the Panzer threw high into the night sky and the hull quickly engulfed in flames. None of the crew survived.
"That was close!", responded Sergei.
"Fucking shit! Ha-ha! We owe you a fucking drink Rookie!", laughed Dima.
"Dima, get off the gun. Take Nikolai's place, he and the Rookie will need the rest. We'll get patched up when we get back to base. Looks like Stavka underestimated Fritz this time."
"Ha-ha! Mario can't fight us so he calls on Fritz! Now that he's gone, they're gonna have to be running! Whew.. it's hot in here!"