A Promise To Fulfill

Downfall

We were returning to the bridge over to the Ruhr-Rhine region. We were almost out of fuel and ammunition. We entered the street ahead of us and made our way back. It was getting dark and we knew that we had to make it back as soon as possible. We had the fear that they would blow up the bridge without us. 

We pushed through the ruins. We passed by a lot of ruined buildings and tanks. "Mein Gott..." Nicolaus said in shock, seeing all the bodies, destroyed equipment, and ruined buildings. It was a horrible sight to see, something that would normally appear in your nightmares. We were sitting inside our hatches as we took in the sight. "Do you think anyone can survive this?" Finn asked us. "I don't know Finn... I don't know..." Magnus said in confusion.

We soon arrived at the defense line that was near the bridge... what's left of it at least... We pushed through the ruined lines, seeing abandoned and destroyed equipment and more destroyed buildings. "What happened here?" Gabriel asked. "Something horrible..." Nicolaus replied hesitantly. We continued to push through the town that led to the bridge and saw something even more horrifying. We saw soldiers that were hung to the death, hanging on street lamps. "I refuse to fight for the German People," One of the signs said that hung around their neck. "I am a coward and I am too scared to defend the Fatherland," another sign said. This scenery just marked the downfall of our country.

As we continued, we saw three soldiers, one of them was an SS Captain. They just hung another soldier with a sign saying, "I am a traitor to the German people." The captain saw me and saluted me and I saluted in return. Suddenly, Gabriel stopped the tank in front of an opened gate. I was confused and asked him what was going on. He then nervously said, "Look up..." And when I looked up, I saw something I would never forget. I saw the body of the commander of Panzer 736, hanging on the gate entrance with a sign saying, "Foolish and Deserter." My hands shook violently and I started to cry.

The SS Captain saw me and walked up to my tank with his two privates. He got on top of the tank and held my shoulder. "Don't worry, Kamerad. The Fatherland would be proud of your work." He told me with a sincere tone. It made me sick and I clenched my fists in anger. Then he said, "We will make sure that Deserters like him would be executed." It filled me with even more anger. 

At that point, I pushed him off of the tank and pulled out my MP-40 Submachine Gun. I then shot at the Captain and the two privates, killing all three of them. "Monsters!!!" I shouted in sorrow and pain. I was about to shoot them even more but Magnus quickly grabbed my gun and pulled it away from me while Nicolaus held me back. I desperately tried to break myself free from them but they held me firmly and Magnus pulled me into a hug. I could do nothing but accept this cruel reality. I hugged him tightly and buried my face into his left shoulder and cried loudly.

I thought he died bravely fighting the Russians in Stalingrad. But now I know that he died cruelly from being hanged to death by one of our own men. My crew got out of their positions and walked up to us and hugged me tightly. They knew the pain I was feeling, a pain nobody else understood. They did not make another move but comforted me with their warm hugs. I slowly stopped crying and embraced the sincerity my crew is giving me. Throughout the war, they are the ones who have always been there for me. Just like my previous crew, the commander of Panzer 736, and my generals. 

I gently let go of Magnus and looked at the rest of my crew, wiping my tears away. "T-thank you..." I quiveringly but happily told them. "It's no problem, kommandantin," Finn said. "You've always been here for us," Gabriel said. "You always looked out for us," Nicolaus added. "We just want to return the favor," Magnus finished. I never thought that I could call Schröder by his first name, but I'm thankful that I can. I smiled at each one of them and picked myself up. "Gabriel, let's get going," I ordered. "Jawohl," He proudly responded.