April 30th, 1962
Reichskommisariat Moscowien
Outskirts of Arkhangelsk
The cold air of winter hanged over in the outskirts of the province of Arkhangelsk, Dima was used to the cold he grew up with it in fact. Anyone born after 41 had to endure the brutality and hard life of the following years. Dima was no exception, along with millions of others he had been part of the "Great Transfer" eventually resettling in Perm. The war never truly ended for the Soviets or the Germans, it only stagnated and quieted down. Dima volunteered for the 153rd Rifle's which specialized in moving behind German lines and striking deep. "Comrade hand me a smoke", an older looking man in his late-30s lit his cigarette.
Dima glanced at the man, it almost didn't matter what his actual age was. He could've been fifty or sixty even though he was on the younger side. Certain cold darkness rested in his eyes, Dima had seen it before in almost all veterans of "The War". After taking a couple of puffs from his cigarette Dima threw it into the wet ground. "These were always tasted like shit" scarfed Dima, "better something than nothing" the older man shot back coldly. "We need to get a move on, the patrols will be on us soon" Dima complied with the instructions and loaded his AK-47 provided by some factory in the Urals and began walking with the older man. As they headed toward their target Dima piped up "What's your name Comrade", "Nikolai". Nikolai replied "where are you from a kid" "my mother was from Leningrad before the Transfer, I grew up in Perm".
Nikolai remained quiet as they kept walking. Eventually, they reached a road junction, alongside it there was a decrepit farmhouse with a window overlooking the junction. "This will do, set your AK in that house, I'll be with you in a minute I have to set the charges". Dima entered the house, it smelled of rotting wood and hay, as he went up the stairs they creaked painfully. As he approached the window he noticed new smells, piss, and rotten bread. However, it didn't bother him, for now, he had a job to do, Dima then smashed upon the window and set his AK in position. Although the Union had been hurt it was still a strong force and had plenty of equipment, weapons for its brave sons. Dima set his sights on the junction and heard a shout from below "the charges are set, I'll be with you in a bit" yelled Nikolai. Soon both men found themselves waiting for a couple of hours eventually Nikolai began to open up to him. "I was born in Smolensk, Nikolai took a swig of water then passed it to Dima "I barely managed to escape the German encirclement in 41, let alone survive the next decade of the war".
Nikolai then came to alert, noises were coming from the distance. "Get down, the patrols are coming" whispered Nikolai, Dima readied the AK and Nikolai carried an SKS with the detonator. Sure enough, the patrol came, there were three vehicles two trucks and one staff car. Dima prepared himself along with Nikolai who had the detonator at the ready, soon the vehicles passed over the explosives. Nikolai clicked it.... but nothing happened "some mudak fucked up in building this thing" he snarled, Dima, however, took action immediately. He aimed his AK at one of the explosives, what felt like minutes lasted less than a second, he pulled the trigger. Although most vehicles passed the explosives, the last truck wasn't lucky.
The explosion ran out across the emptiness of the region and obliterated the truck. Germans came pouring out of the truck screaming, bleeding and on fire. Men in the first truck and staff car leaped out yelling looking for cover, Dima and Nikolai opened fire taking the Germans further by surprise. Nikolai picked off the officers one by one with his SKS. Meanwhile, Dima mercilessly sprayed whatever troops remained alive. Some tried to return fire with Karabiners and other rifles but it was futile. Dima and Nikolai began to stop firing as they encountered no movement. Upon this Nikolai punched Dima straight in the stomach "next time you want to do something like that warn me first".
Dima after absorbing the punch walked out with Nikolai. Bodies were everywhere, in the field with blood mixed with snow and mud. As he walked among the bodies past the second burning truck he began noticing things. The rifles the Germans were using were old, worn and at best operational, the soldiers were very thin and lean packing little fat or muscle along with this they were young. Dima began scavenging whatever weapons or supplies he could carry, as he was looting another body he noticed more. This German was young, too young barely even 18 looking not old enough to shave. He took a picture out of the breast pocket of his jacket, it was a picture of a family of three. One man on the right along with a woman (presumably his wife to his right). She was carrying a baby, on the back, it was written: "Neu Bavaria", 1946.
"Settlers, damn settlers," Dima thought to himself until finally, Nikolai yelled out "Dima get over here now". Dima stood up taking the photograph with him and walked over to Nikolai. Before Nikolai there was a man shot, bleeding out but appeared to be alive. He looked up at the two and spoke in a raspy voice, to Dima's surprise it wasn't German, it was Russian he was speaking. He was praying while bleeding out and turned over revealing a badge on his gray uniform (seen below) "He's one of Vlasov's scum" spoke Nikolai, Dima simply stood by and watched. Once the man stopped praying Nikolai aimed his SKS and fired, putting the man out of his misery. "Let's get going Dima, it will be dark soon" Dima and Nikolai began walking away from the burning trucks and bodies. Dima then spoke, "I didn't volunteer to kill my own people, I volunteered to kill Germans". "You don't get a choice Dima, none of us do, they are traitors to the motherland nothing more". Soon the men set up camp in a nearby ditch and the day was over.