Second entry
#4 of The seven Days of Fire
Second entry
"We've been here in this village for two weeks now. At our insistence, we were allowed to bury the bodies of the inhabitants. I still can't forget the faces of the children. The look on the Major's face will probably stay with me for a while. There is still no sign of our enemy. We have heard reports that the 4th Regiment took the palace of the Prince of Sepata three days ago. Without resistance. It seems that the Sepatans don't want to fight. Even the occasional streaks of refugees picked up by the patrols seem strangely apathetic. They mumble something about purification and the wrath of nature, but no one explains themselves in more detail. Well, tomorrow I'm to comb the forest on the hill behind the village with a squad. The Major has a 'feeling' and it's never fooled him before."
Hiredeki checks his equipment and fills his spare magazines. He also has a 'feeling', a pretty bad one at that. Yesterday, the patrols picked up a fugitive soldier. He had spoken of huge Torekmetian army units and lost battles. The major had him shot: Deserter. The traitor had only wanted to disrupt the morale of the troops and save his life.
"I believe the poor devil. The Torekmetians would never take this long, not if we get Sepata!"
With this in mind, Hiredeki packs as much ammunition and rations as he can carry as inconspicuously as possible.
"It won't be long before they've found us too. I just hope I'm not in this camp then."
He screws another new filter onto his NBC protective mask, not that it would help much, but perhaps it would buy him some time. Possibly the time that would one day make the difference between life and death.
...
Only very late does Hiredeki find a restless sleep. Thousands of thoughts chase through his head. But he is not alone. The major sits in the tactical control center and listens to the radio. Using his code, he can also listen to the encrypted reports from the army command. What he hears there doesn't exactly make him happy. His fears are correct: the Torekmetians have been advancing for some time now and the armies of Ephtal are practically under constant attack. One position after another is being overrun. No prisoners are being taken. They will be here tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow at the latest. He fervently hopes that they will come through the forest so that his men can still warn their comrades, or if they don't come through the forest, at least a few will survive.
...
Dawn is just breaking as Hiredeki gathers his men and prepares to march off. An ominous mood prevails this morning. Radio contact with the high command has been lost. Officially it is technical difficulties, weather problems or something like that, but everyone in the troop knows what has really happened there. The High Command no longer exists! The uneasy feeling from yesterday has now developed into a full-blown upset stomach.
"Hiredeki, what do you think? When the hell does it start?"
Hiredeki's companion asks him as they walk through the village towards the forest. Hiredeki taps his slightly bulging pockets wordlessly and his companion knows.
"OK, good thing I took precautions."
The soldier mutters and reaches for two rucksacks that were hidden behind the last houses in the village. He hands one to one of the three other soldiers and keeps the other. They quickly leave the village and walk across the open plain towards the forest. Only when they reach the first trees do they slow down again. A short, sharp *click* indicates that the soldiers are loading and unlocking their weapons.
"OK, now what?"
One of his companions is a little nervous, which is no wonder given their situation.
"The Major knows the situation very well. We're just a forward outpost. We're supposed to warn him when the enemy is coming. No more and no less."
Hiredeki tries to exude calm, but he, like the other three, is now completely out of it. All he really wants to do is survive.
"So we dig in and try to survive."
His comrades, who have the same simple wish, unanimously agree with him.
"Right."
With Hiredeki in the lead, they slowly and vigilantly enter the forest. No sign of the enemy, everything is quiet. In the middle of the forest, they find a perfect spot for an ambush. Here they decide to camp for the time being and inspect their supplies and equipment.
"I think we all agree that we won't survive an open battle with the army. So we'll flee as soon as it starts. Better a chance of not being shot as deserters on the run than dying in a pointless and futile battle."
"Yup, I agree. So what do we have on offer?"
After a brief inventory of their bags and rucksacks, the four soldiers are presented with a treasure trove of various items of equipment, ammunition and rations. Hiredeki skims over the whole thing briefly and then summarizes.
"We have about 300 rounds of rifle ammunition and around 150 rounds of pistol ammunition. Then there are twelve grenades with fragmentation heads and impact fuses, so three for everyone. We also have four of the Type III AP mines. So much for our combat power. We also have two weeks' worth of rations, three if we divide up. We also have enough drinking water purifiers for the next few weeks, so we don't have to worry about that. For the time being. There's also enough chewing gum. Our navigation is taken care of by this compass and this marching map, which seems to be pretty accurate and should get us to Seruma, and thus to safety for the time being. We also have this field first aid kit. Not much, but it should be enough for the most basic things. So, all in all, our chances are not bad...."
Hiredeki doesn't get any further, because the thundering of the engines of two Torekmetian troop transporters cuts him off. They shoot past just above the treetops in the direction of the encampment.
... to be Continued ...