Katyusha

Chapter XI

"Relax comrades it's Christmas! Plus the storm's so bad outside how do you expect my boys to see squat?" Kir had asked after Anton begin to berate the man for not keeping watch as ordered to by the men that sent them out here.

"Yeah Anton, it's a frozen hell outside, and I never tried vodka before.. Lets relax a little bit before we possibly die, I'd like celebrate being alive tonight." Katyusha says and the three awkwardly head into lit room where the spotter's squad is quietly celebrating.

They're playing a game of poker and every time someone wins the hand, a shot of vodka is poured for the winner to /drink.

"Ever played poker before comrade Lieutenant?" Kir asks as he lead the two over to the table, and shaking her head no. Katyusha eagerly sits down when a seat is offered to her by one of the soldiers, eager to learn.

From there and following into the twilight hours of dawn, both German and Russian sides are celebrating because there's nothing else to do on account of the white out that's raging outdoors.

Gathered in shelters, buildings or bunkers with a fire to keep warm around, everyone's taking the time to enjoy the peace of the night due to the storm.

**
Oberleutnant

"Frohe Weinhnacthen herr." The Sergeant adds before he steps back outside of the tent, and back out into the cool Desert night.

"Danke, und Frohe Weihnachten." Weber replies before sitting back down, eagerly inspecting his package deliver.

Getting to it, the Lieutenant eagerly opens his mail and a huge smile spreads on his face, marveling at the beautiful sight. He lays his German chocolate out on the bed and his mouth's beginning to water.

Continuing through his package, he pulls out the small pile of letters, two photos, one of his family standing outside his house back in Germany and another of his Nina that's awaiting him back home. As it came with a gilded locket, so carefully he puts both of the photos within the locket before suspending it around his neck and tucking it under his cotton shirt.

But quickly taking it back out again and opening the locket up, he sits there on his cot quietly looking at the two small photos again of his family and Mina standing outside of his home from a week ago. Smiling, Weber's homesick but he's also glad to see everyone in the two photos, especially his Mina! His biggest heart and lover that's awaiting for his return back home.

Then he gets to reading the three letters from both Nina and the family; wishing him well, asking how he's doing and what the front and desert is like, and to be careful out there.

Then there's a letter from his father about how proud he is of Weber and how he's proud about him leading Germany's glorious soldiers into battle. But most importantly, even his old man's asking for him to be careful and that made Webers night. Since the old bugger was usually too busy to actually talk to Weber for most of the time he was growing up.

**

"Herr! Mail from home, thought you'd wanted to have it now before having it handed to you a few hours later in Africa." A courier says a bit out of breath before saluting and heading off.

Returning the salute, Karl walks on up the gangplank that leads up the ship bound for Africa, once on deck he looks about in search of a quiet place to go on deck.

After a few minutes of searching, he finds a quiet place at the stern. So not waiting any longer, he opens his letter and after reading it for a moment, excitement over comes his being. As it takes all he can to control the urge of not jumping up from excitement.