Prelude: Not One Step Back (Yelena Malkin)
December 24th, 1942. The city of Stalingrad.
"Stalingrad...Massengrab. Every seven seconds, a German soldiers dies. Stalingrad - Massengrab."
The monotone voice blared from the speakers, just over the tick-tock of a clock. It was meant to demoralize the Nazis caught in the Cauldron. it ran almost in a loop, only interrupted when the operator had to put the needle back to start.
One of the German Comrades who had to flee Germany after the Nazis took power was happy to help the Red Army by recording messages to his fellow countrymen, begging them to surrender. Or telling them that this would be their mass grave.
Many in the Red Army didn't want them to surrender. "Let them starve." Yelena's leytenant would say, usually following it up with spitting on the ground.
It was late afternoon and the Russian winter had come with all it's might to Stalingrad. Yelena and the rest of their platoon were just receiving orders from Secretary Khrushchev. Well, technically, the orders came from Polkovnik Sherkov, but the politician was the only one speaking.
"A month ago, we surrounded the fascists here at Stalingrad and we are slowly tightening the noose. But today, they are celebrating Christmas. We cannot allow them a night of peace and rest! Tonight, you will strike terror into their hearts and make them piss themselves in their boots!"
He walked down the rows of soldiers, all of them snipers in various stages in their training. "Each of you will give me at least 5 dead fascists today. Every dead fascist is one point. Every dead petty officer is 3 points. Every dead officer is worth 5 points. If you manage to wound them, they count twice as much. But you owe me 5 dead fascists! Generalissimo Stalin deserves 5 dead fascists! Whoever has the most points will receive a commendation. Are there any questions, comrades?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:52, Tue 30 June 2020.