by Travis Tufo
“I already ate all the food I packed.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“Shut up and give me some of your bread.”
“No way, man. I brought enough food for me to get there and back. You’re a big kid now, you should have packed enough for yourself.”
“Whatever, I’ll go find my own food.”
“In the middle of nowhere? Good luck man,” Joseph said, smiling. He continued to enjoy his food while he watched Vlad wander off into the woods.
“If you’re not here by the morning I’m leaving without you,” he called out.
“Hey buddy?” Vlad yelled back at Joseph. Before Joseph could reply, he yelled, “Fuck off.”
Joseph laughed it off and lay in the truck eating and planning the next and final day of travel.
Vladimir spent the next half hour wandering through the woods. He stumbled across all kinds of berry bushes but was too scared to try any of them. At another point of his search he saw a young deer in the distance eating something on the ground. Vlad thought to himself that he was a stealthy man and could catch this deer and bring him back to Joseph to show off.
Vlad pulled out Sasha and took one small step towards the deer. His step landed him right on a large tree branch that cracked like a gunshot. The deer immediately took off into the night. Vlad stood there feeling like an idiot; he had only taken one step towards his prey before he scared it off.
He put Sasha back in his pocket and continued to wander around the forest in search of food, thinking that perhaps this time he should use his firearm. The more he aimlessly walked around the more he thought to himself there was no way he could find any food in the wild like this. That was, of course, until he finally saw a light several yards away.
It was a shot in the dark, but he began to jog towards it. He was about 200 yards away when he saw it was the light from a small cottage. Once outside the sheltered dwelling, he crept around the side to a window and peaked his head through to see an elderly German couple in their living room reading in the light of their fireplace.
Vlad wondered to himself if he’d have to kill this poor old couple just for a meal. He figured he wouldn’t have to because they were no threat to him, and proceeded to walk to the front door. He stood there for a moment before lifting his large hand to knock on the door.
“What the fuck am I doing knocking on some old couple’s door at midnight?” Vladimir mumbled to himself. Surprisingly, the door opened revealing an elderly man in his reading glasses and overalls. They both stood there, eyes locked for a several seconds until the ancient man’s wife stepped from behind him and broke the stalemate with a welcoming smile.
“Good evening.” Vlad said in Russian, his hat in his hand. He gave a little grin back, wondering how seeing a huge Russian in the middle of the night at her door could put such a smile on her face. The elderly German woman made a friendly gesture for him to come in as the old man opened the door for Vlad.
Vlad took a step into the house, surprised that these Germans had let him into their home. As Vlad towering over the both of them, he remembered he was no longer in uniform and that’s probably why they’d willingly opened up their home to him.
The elderly couple did not speak as they walked him into the living room and offered him a seat. Vlad figured their silence was due to the language barrier between them, though they’d seemed to know what his initial comment meant. Or more likely it was his demeanor.
Vlad humbly declined and instead gestured with his hand on his stomach that he was hungry. The elderly woman shook her head and walked towards the kitchen. After his wife left the room, the old man motioned for Vlad to follow him over to the fireplace.
There, the old man slowly leaned down and opened a drawer to a table. From the drawer he pulled out a small black box. Vlad looked at the small box in the old man’s hands for a minute, puzzled as to what was going on. A tear in his eye, the old man finally opened it. As the box opened a necklace and a small pile of pictures fell out into his hands.
The old woman returned to Vlad and her husband with a bag full of bread, fruit, and pork. Vlad nodded to the old lady with a smile, but was very intrigued as to what the old man held in his hands. The man was able to convey to Vlad that the necklace had been their son’s good luck charm through his entire childhood as he showed a series of pictures from the fireplace mantle that showed the boy wearing it at various ages. Vlad still didn’t know exactly what the man meant until he drew a four leafed clover on the dirt floor. He’d worn the charm, for 22 years until he was drafted into the war a year ago. He took the necklace off and left it with his parents as he went off to fight for his country. He never returned to them, having died in battle.
“Russicheja?” (Russian, yes?) The Old German asked.
“Dah,” Vlad responded.
The old man handed the necklace over to Vladimir. Even though he was a Russian the old man knew that his son’s memory would be carried on longer with Vlad rather than with them.
Vlad took the necklace and put it around his neck, to please them as the old man handed him the small picture. The couple held hands as more tears filled their eyes.
Vlad lifted up the picture to look at the young man’s face. A single tear filled his eye. However it wasn’t a tear formed from sadness. He recognized the youth. He had brutally killed their son over six months ago in a stealth operation.
He was an unnecessary casualty, but that never stopped Vlad. He gave a sad smile and handed the picture back to the old man who had no idea that Vlad was their son’s murderer. Vlad shook the old man’s hand and gently hugged the elderly lady. He lifted up the bag of food in appreciation and headed for the door.
He stopped as he stepped outside and took a deep breath. Turning back around he saw the old couple watching and smiling at him. They waved at him, and in return he held up his hand like a gun, two fingers as the barrel, and his thumb as the pin. He motioned as if to shoot his “hand gun” at them and smiled as he continued on his way.
The elderly couple, confused about the strange wave they received went back into their home content with such an emotionally charged moment that required no words. Vlad walked away from their home, a huge smile on his face. That hand motion he made towards the elderly couple was the same hand motion he gave to their son before he shot him point blank in the face.
***
Vlad returned to Joseph after some time of trying to find his way back. He stopped in the woods to eat the food he was given as well so he didn’t have to share with Joseph.
When he reached the truck he saw that Joseph was already asleep. Tired himself, he decided to join Joseph and fell asleep in the grass right by the truck. The next morning it would be Vlad who would awake first to the warm sun shining on his skin.
He stood up in the completely silent clearing and looked around as he stretched. He enjoyed the peace; it was something he didn’t often get to be a part of. After he’d had enough of the quiet, he threw on his uniform and nudged Joseph. At first, Joseph didn’t wake up. But the ear splitting sound of three German jets screaming overhead did the trick.
“Well, that’s a hell of an alarm clock!” Vlad yelled as he waited out the ringing in his ears.
“We should probably hit the road as soon as we can, Joseph said. “If we travel at a fast enough pace today we could get to Berlin as the sun starts to set.”
“Joseph, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Well, you think you’re different now than you were before you joined the military, right? Like the day you left your girl all the way to today…do you think you’ve changed as a person?”
“I guess I’ve never thought about it. But, I mean I had never killed a man at that point in my life. Now I’ve killed hundreds.”
“Exactly. So do you think Maria will have a different view on you now?”
“A different view on me now? I’m still the man she fell in love with.”
&nbs
p; “I know that, and you know that, but I just wonder if she will have the same feelings for a man who has slaughtered men, women, and children.”
“Are you trying to keep me away from her?” Joseph asked, angrily.
“No that’s not it at all; I just want you to be prepared for it.”
“I think it’s best if you just shut your mouth and get in the truck. You’ve already wasted enough of my time.” Joseph’s patience had run out and it was time to get on with the mission.
“Your call.”
Vlad got in the passenger seat and remained silent. Joseph took a deep breath, stepped into the driver side and slammed the door. Before he could start the truck, Vladimir spoke again.
“If we are going to be in Berlin today, we should probably throw on those uniforms in the back.”
Completely aggravated at his friend, Joseph turned to give him a few choice words. When he saw the silly grin on Vlad’s face, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“I hate you,” Joseph said, chuckling. Their friendship meant too much to them to let an argument ruin more than five minutes of their time.
“Hey, now that you’re over your period you should let me drive.”
“I don’t care if you drive, just as long as you get us there before night.”
Vladimir jumped out of the truck and ran to the back to get his German uniform. Joseph halfheartedly joined him. After donning the uniforms, Joseph was still skeptical. The uniforms helped of course, but their dark features and the fact that neither of them could even speak the slightest German worried him. Vlad had no reservations whatsoever. He felt like they could go goose-stepping down Berlin unnoticed. They hopped in the truck and drove towards Berlin.
***
After traveling a few hours, Joseph looked over at Vlad and noticed the new necklace he was wearing.
“Where the hell did you get that?” Joseph asked, pointing at Vlad’s neck.
“Oh, this piece of shit? I don’t remember,” Vlad said as he ripped the small chain off his neck and threw it behind him. Joseph wondered about his response but didn’t question him further.
Chapter Nine
They continued on their way, periodically discussing their plan—or lack thereof. Neither of them really had a clue as to how they would go about the mission. In the silent moments, Joseph would think about Maria and steal quick glances at her picture.
Abruptly, Joseph asked, “So Vladimir, how did you get that scar on your arm?”
“I knew you would want to know! It’s been eating away at you ever since I brought it up, huh?” Vlad said with a large smile on his face.
“No…I just feel bad about denying you of your own story time earlier.”
“You truly are an asshole, Joseph. But I’ll tell you the story anyway. About a year ago I was in camp late at night, sitting by a fire next to a few other soldiers…”
Joseph interrupted Vladimir by pretending to snore.
“You know what, man?” Vladimir asked, slamming on the brakes and sending Joseph into the dashboard, “I hate you.”
Joseph’s head bounced off the dashboard almost giving him whiplash. As he sat back up in his seat, he reached for his face and told his friend, “Ahh man, I was just messing around. Finish telling me your damn story.”
“One of the soldiers sitting around the fire cut my arm open with a bayonet. That bayonet later became known as Sasha,” Vladimir said in a monotone voice.
Joseph smirked, “Great story, I loved the enthusiasm.”
Vlad looked over at Joseph, a disgusted look on his face. He lifted his hand up above Joseph’s thigh, about to bring it down like a hammer but Joseph’s quick apology stopped the potential blow. Not much followed Vlad’s story other than the occasional smart-ass remark from one of the two or the usual joke.
Chapter Ten
For the next few hours, as they closed in on Berlin, Joseph began to sit straighter in his seat. He was getting more excited with each mile they drove.
In direct contrast to Joseph’s elated mood the sky began to darken as they neared the city. Ten miles away, they saw a potential problem. Several yards ahead stood a huge wooden watchtower next to a small radio hut surrounded by several Nazi soldiers.
Approaching the tower they welcomed the familiar tension they both felt just before blood was spilled. As they drew closer, every single pair of Nazi eyes locked on the German truck that wasn’t scheduled to enter Berlin at this time. Vlad slowed down just in time to stop in front of two Nazi soldiers with their hands out ordering the truck to halt.
Two Germans at the top of the watchtower focused a bright, intense beam of light on the truck. Two other soldiers walked out of the radio hut and towards the truck. The remaining two sat inside the hut drinking and eating. Six Nazis were now staring at this German truck filled with two Soviets, their guns at the ready.
“We are fucked,” Vlad muttered, sweat breaking out on his forehead.
“We’re definitely fucked if you keep speaking Russian in front of these Nazis.”
“Russian is all I know you fucker!”
“I meant to stop talking, you fool.”
The two quit speaking as a German soldier walked to the driver side of the truck. Vlad kept his head down. His cap hid his face well enough for the German to not know he was Russian. The German said something they didn’t understand. Vlad assumed he was asking them for paperwork so he reached in to the glove box, pretending to look for papers. His hand wrapped around a Tokarev pistol that he had previously placed there. Joseph sat there watching Vlad hold his hand on the gun. He reached over Vlad’s arm and switched the truck from park to drive.
This set the guard off. He started yelling and raising his gun to Vlad’s head. Vlad quickly brought the pistol out of the glove box and pressed it to the German’s chest, quickly letting off two shots. One bullet ripped right through the man’s right lung, the other catching an artery in his heart and killing him instantly.
As the man hit the ground, Vlad pressed the gas pedal down and slammed into the two Germans standing in front of the truck, driving them straight into the hut. He crashed into the small building, crushing the two soldiers and taking out one other German in the hut who had been enjoying his dinner.
The two Nazis from on top of the watchtower opened fire on the hut. Bullets ricocheted off the truck, hitting all around the two Russians. Joseph jumped out of the truck and attacked the last living German in the hut. They struggled for a few seconds but Joseph easily overcame him with his overwhelming strength and grabbed both sides of the soldier’s face. He gave one quick tug, snapping the German’s neck with ease. He let the man’s head go as he fell to the floor.
He looked up to see Vlad still in the truck, unconscious. Vlad had hit his head pretty hard in the crash. Joseph grabbed the soldier’s rifle off the ground and ran to the truck to get Vlad out of the way of bullets being fired from the watchtower and from behind the truck. Joseph opened the truck door and felt something warm hit his face. He looked at Vlad and realized his friend has been shot in the shoulder. Joseph pulled him out and lay him down in front of the truck away from the gunfire. He knew the shot wasn’t fatal so he sat down next to Vlad to figure out how to get out of the situation they were in.
He knew there was at least one soldier about 50 feet behind the truck where they had just run over the two men, and there were still two men in the watchtower. He raised the rifle to his shoulder and stood up, revealing his position to the Nazi still on the ground behind the truck.
He let out two shots before bullets started pelting the truck he was hiding behind. He jumped to the ground and lying prone, maneuvered his way around so that he could open up a shot at the German. He shot the very second he saw an open chance and caught the German in the knee. The bullet hit, carrying shards of bone and blood with it through the back of his knee. The German hit the ground face first. Still on the ground, Joseph aimed a kill shot at the top of the man’s head. He lined up and squeezed the trigger. The bulle
t left the gun and Joseph imagined in slow motion the bullet traveling towards the German lying on the ground.
He saw the bullet enter the man’s head and then watched the head explode like a watermelon being smashed by a hammer. Pieces of the head went flying everywhere. The sight was gruesome; blood spurting out of the headless body caked in brains was Joseph’s snap back to reality. He looked over at Vlad hoping he was conscious, but no such luck. He knew he couldn’t get a shot off on the men in the tower because their vantage point on him was too good.
He sat there for a second but realized he had to act fast before the Germans’ backup could arrive. He did the first thing that came to his mind. He quickly jumped back in the truck, threw it in reverse, and backed up into a hail of gunfire. When he was back far enough he put the truck back in drive and floored it towards the tower, bullets flying all around him the entire time. He hit one of the four support beams and drove right through it, carrying part of the wooden structure with him. He kept driving and looked in his rearview mirror in time to see the tower come crashing down behind him. A large dust cloud came with it.
“Holy shit!” Joseph yelled as he wrapped back around to the ruined hut to check on Vlad. He stepped out of the truck and entered the ruined building to see that Vlad was moving, a good sign. He looked around at the dead men and noticed that one of the men was split in half by the collision with the truck. He gazed back at the truck he was driving to see the man’s intestines stuck in the grill of the truck. He smirked and walked over to Vlad, helping him to his feet.
“You all right buddy? You picked an awful time to take a nap.”
“Why the hell did you let me get shot?”
“Why did I let you?” Joseph just shook his head. “Good to see you’re ok, man.”
Joseph helped Vlad over to the truck to sit down. Vlad looked around at the carnage but surprisingly didn’t even smile, which was uncharacteristic for him. He was too preoccupied with the pain in his shoulder. He looked over to Joseph who had his head down on the truck.
