This Little War Of Mine

Two - The Colony

"Please, Comrade. Have a seat." Artyom motioned over to the wooden chairs surrounding a small bonfire where a couple of people were sat.

The two men sat down and Artyom introduced the other two civilians sitting around the fire.

Artyom nodded towards the blonde girl sitting across from Dimitri. "This is Anya. She was rescued from a bomb site when she was small, she's been here ever since." She looked about 20 or so. She wore a red hoodie with a tan backpack, worn jeans and sneakers.

Dimitri nodded. "It is good to meet you, Anya." As he spoke, he took off his shades and pulled his bandana down from his face. He smiled but she stared blankly at him.

"And next to you, is Charlie." He motioned towards the man next to Dimitri. He wore a white tank top, digital desert camo pants, and tan army boots. He looked like an ex-soldier. Or current one. He glared at Dimitri.

"Just because we're both civvies here, doesn't mean I can't kick your ass, Commie."

"There will be no ass-kicking while I am around, Charlie. Now tell us, Dimitri. What is your story? Surely you must have one."

"It is eh.. a long one." Dimitri mumbled. He wasn't usually this quiet around strangers, but the mention of his past made him want to curl up into a ball or run away.

"Do not worry, Comrade. We have plenty of time. Please, tell us of how you came to be here."

"Well.. there were six of us.. Petrov, Sergei, Josef, Viktor, my older brother Pavel and I. We had been friends since we were boys. Sergei and I were a lot closer though.

When we had all turned 17, we signed for the Russian Army, but we were too young. My brother was of age though, so he got us in. That, and he was good friends with one of the recruiting officers. Russia needed troops though, so it did not matter about out age.

When the Russian Army joined forces with the rest of Asia, we were pushed along into the ACMF. We.. were in a firefight with a whole outpost of USCPF troops when.. there was an explosion. Sergei was down. Legs blown off. Our commanding officer gave me the job of putting him out of his misery. Hearing the screams of your closest friend.. that haunts a man.

After Sergei died, the five of us slowly drifted apart. We fell out. Viktor was promoted to Captain. Josef had been transferred to another division. Petrov had his arm blown off in a convoy accident, but had it re-attatched. He went into rehabilitation for it for several months. He now owns a bar in The Gap."

"What about you and your brother?" Anya tilted her head slightly.

"Eh.. well.. I was er.. discharged from the ACMF for medical reasons. Diagnosed with PTSD. The screaming would send me into a panic attack.

Pavel was an excellent soldier, and he was an asset to the regiment. He went AWOL to look after me, his little brother. Like he always did. We were ambushed by a patrol. Their language was strange, and I cannot remember what they looked like, as they had beat me to a pulp. They took him. I do not know why they would go through so much effort."

There was a brief silence, but Artyom broke it. "So, are you here to rescue your brother?"

"Nyet. This was a couple years ago. I have been on my own ever since. Neyt, my reason for being here is partially for refuge, and partially because Petrov's bar was raided by city folk, and I needed a few people to help me get his things back."

"Hm.. we shall think about it. But for the meantime, make yourself at home, Dimitri! Room 17 is all yours!"

Dimitri stood up and made his way to the residential complex. He found his room, hung his coat up, and checked his watch.

"4:30 pm. Excellent." And with that, he collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep.

***

Dimitri awoke and checked his watch again. 6:45 pm. He put his coat back on and strolled out of the building, walking towards the place he knew best. The tavern.

It wasn't too shabby for a shanty town bar, and he sat down on one of the bar stools.

"What'll it be?" The bartender said. He was obviously American, judging by his accent. Not as Southern as Charlie, but definitely American.

"A whiskey please, Bartender." Dimitri said. He prefered malt whiskey, but it was very expensive to make, therefore becoming very rare to find.

The bartender poured him a glass of Whiskey and went back to flirting with a woman in the seat next to Dimitri.

"Uh.. hey.." a voice said behind him. He turned around.

"Anya! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah I just.. wanted to ask you something.. is there some place private we could talk?"

"Da of course!" Dimitri downed the liquid in his glass, and put a small handful of pre-war dollars into the upside-down glass. He followed Anya out the door.

***

"I.. I was wondering if you could tell me what happened with your friend, Sergei." Said Anya. She buried her hands in her pockets and looked at her feet.

"Eh.."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, it's okay!"

"Nyet.. It will be good for me to get this out of my system.."

***