Blind Faith

Chapter One

The train's engine kept me awake. I had been through a lot in the last couple of months, and the least I could do is get some sleep. Ankropov was sitting next to me in the crowded train coach. His head was leaning against my shoulder. He wasn't asleep, he was tired though. Zakov was hanging off of the train's side. He was either drunk, or was just plain stupid. He was having fun while he could. It would be a long war anyways right? Why not have fun while it lasts? Ankropov bounced when the train hit a bump. He sat up, no longer leaning against me. He held his head. "You okay?" I say. "Yeah..." He says as he rubs his head. I look outside and see Zakov cheering while he was hanging off the train. "Off to save our boys at Stalingrad!" He kept yelling. He checked his PPD's ammo and turns the safety off. I unsling my ppsh and check if it's jammed. It wasn't, so I sling it back over my shoulder.
Ankropov takes out his Nagant and cleans its barrel. It's best to keep your barrel clean so the bullets don't gather dust. I look over at the other soldiers. They were checking their weapons and weren't saying a word. Except for Zakov, he was yelling like crazy. Suddenly, our train came to a halt. "Alright boys, get on out." A sergeant says. Two soldiers open the hatch and everyone started hopping out. I jumped out, along with Ankropov. The sky was filled with smoke, and I could see Stalingrad from where we were. The bombers had lit up the city as if a celebration was happening. But this was no celebration. This was war.
Zakov jumped off of the train's side and walked over to us. "So..." He said. "Where too now?" I was just about to answer him when someone started shouting. A colonel  raised his voice so everyone could hear. "General Zhukov has ordered us to an oil facility near Stalingrad!" Everyone cheered. We weren't going to be in the fight unless the Germans decided to make us part of it. But then again you never know. The colonel continued talking. "Prepare your weapons and get ready to move out!" I didn't need to, but I double checked incase. The ppsh looked working properly, and the battalion started moving out. Zakov was limping and started dragging behind. "Dimitri!" I yell. "You okay?" He nods, but Ankropov and me still walked over.
"What's wrong?" Ankropov says. He points to his left leg and lifts his pants sleeve. There was a bruise that could be seen plane as day.  "I fell kind of hard when I jumped off." I laugh a little bit. Ankropov and Zakov looked at me puzzled. "You'll get a medal for being stupid!" I say. Ankropov laughs along with me. Zakov doesn't laugh, but soon he gets the joke. He chuckles a little and stops. He points to the sky. From the west, German bombers started bombing the shit out of the city. "There went the rest of our troops..." Zakov says. Ankropov watches the fires burn throughout the city. He starts to speak. "The rats will attack any moment now." Ankropov puts Zakov's arm around his neck. "Come on Yuri, help me out." I do as he says, and out Zakov's arm around my neck. "Lift." I say. We lift up Zakov. Crowds of Soviet soldiers were around us. "Pick up the pace!" I yelled. They all start running alongside us. Soon enough, we were nearing the oil facility.