It was over in less than a minute!

My first shot slammed the squad leader into the earthen wall. The bullet hit him square in the chest. At this range, there was no missing. He crumpled to the ground, blood spreading through his bluish-green tunic. The man behind him hesitated, his head jerking around as he yanked at the strap of his rifle. He was too exposed. My second shot hit him in the shoulder, spinning him down next to his leader. A final squeeze of the trigger ended his life.

Lisowski, reacting instantly to my first shot, dropped the last man with a single round to the back. The man was still mid-piss when he fell. Without hesitation, Lisowski swung his rifle and hit the next target clean in the neck. Meanwhile, Saks and the others unleashed a storm of bullets, cutting into the scattered patrol. I fired two more rounds into the chaos before lowering my rifle. My stomach churned, but I held steady.

The gunfire stopped.

The Germans hadn’t fired a single shot.

We rose slowly, scanning the gully below. The bodies lay sprawled, lifeless. The forest fell silent again, except for a sharp crack as a single gunshot echoed. I saw Nowak lowering his pistol, his face cold as stone.

He spat into the dirt. The contempt was mutual.

A small act of retribution.

“Lisowski, hold your position and keep watch,” I ordered. “Berek, check the bodies with the others.”

The four descended the slope carefully, rifles ready. Saks called up after a few minutes.

“They’re all dead.”

“Good. Strip them of weapons, ammo, rations—anything we can use.”

I unfolded the map, my eyes scanning the terrain. We had to move before the main force discovered this. East of the village, across the valley, and into the northern forest—it was the best way to stay clear of the German division. I flipped open my compass, checked our bearing, and snapped it shut. My thoughts lingered for a moment before I forced them back to the task at hand.

“All done,” Saks said, climbing back up with the others.

“Distribute the load evenly,” I replied.

Lisowski joined us, and we regrouped. The extra gear weighed us down, but there was no time to rest. We had miles to cover before eating or resting, and I needed to reorganise the group for the night. I looked down into the gully—the scattered bodies and the mess we were leaving behind.

“Let’s get the hell out of here.”

​