Erwin's wish not to see blood seems to be only an absurd illusion, this is a battlefield full of corpses, both British and German.
The artillery keeps resonating constantly leaving death in its path, but as soldiers they have no other choice than to advance along the blood-stained road.
After a while, Erwin saw a dozen British prisoners held by the road, some were wounded and bleeding, but they could only cover their wounds with their hands, since beside them several German soldiers watched them pointing rifles.
Erwin could clearly distinguish the fear, despair, and pleading on their faces, although they were surrounded by German troops, they knew that at that moment no one would come to help them.
Erwin could not help but shout at a medic running by: "At least bandage their wounds!"
"Who? Them?" The medic stopped, looked at the wounded British and then shook his head. "We have orders to save only German soldiers." Said the military doctor and ignored him.
Erwin shook his head with disgust and kept moving, he had barely taken a few steps when he heard gunshots behind him.
Turning around, he saw a German officer shooting his pistol at the British prisoners, one by one they fell, all with a shot to the head.
The officer showed no signs of doubt, he did not see people, but practice targets, he advanced, raised the pistol and pulled the trigger.
When the magazine was empty, he took another from his pocket and while changing the weapon wiped the blood from his boots on the sand.
In front of him there were two wounded British, who did not dare to speak, but their eyes were full of a deep desperate plea.
The officer showed no mercy, finished reloading, aimed and fired again, two bodies fell to the ground like broken dolls, their feet lifting from inertia before collapsing.
"Why are they doing this?!" asked Erwin astonished.
"Mind your own business." whispered Trigger. "This has nothing to do with you."
Erwin knew he was right, at that moment he was only a private and had no right to intervene, he continued on his way, but in his mind remained engraved the empty and desperate eyes of those British at the last instant of their life.
"Do you think the British wouldn't do the same with us?" said Trigger. "This is war, and also in the desert, there are no spare resources for prisoners."
Well, that makes sense, in the desert food, water, ammunition and fuel are scarce, keeping prisoners meant wasting valuable resources on them, but, was that reason enough to execute them?
Trigger, who was walking leaning on Erwin, stopped advancing and grew heavier, only to fall to the ground moments later.
Erwin shouted to the sergeant ahead: "Sergeant, Trigger is not well!"
"Medic!" shouted Sergeant Baker running towards him.
The medic arrived quickly, checked Trigger and said: "He cannot keep fighting, if he does, he will die here."
Baker nodded, took Trigger's rifle, removed all the bullets from the ammunition pouch, handed them to Erwin and said: "Now they are yours."
"But I already have a rifle." replied Erwin.
"Throw it away." answered Baker without stopping.
Erwin looked at Trigger on the ground and said to the medic: "Take care of him and tell him when he wakes up that I will take good care of his rifle."
"All right." answered the medic with a hint of mockery in his look, as if Erwin's attitude seemed funny to him.
When he returned to the march, Erwin noticed his comrades looked at him with a mixture of envy and doubt.
"Do you know how lucky you are?" said a soldier beside him. "Many would wish to be in your place." He raised his head pointing at the sniper rifle on Erwin's back.
He understood what he meant. That rifle was not only a weapon of the German army, it was also a symbol of status and prestige, whoever carried it showed himself superior to the others and with more control on the battlefield.
"You will see." he whispered: "Soon there will be protests."
While Erwin was still doubtful, a short soldier stepped forward and approached Baker. "Sergeant, I think giving the sniper rifle to the Ballast is not the most appropriate."
"His name is not Ballast, Paul." answered Baker.
"Whatever, I don't see him as suitable" insisted Paul.
"And why do you say that?" asked Baker.
"The sniper must cover our attacks, I don't think he can fulfill that task." answered Paul.
Baker looked around and realized he was not the only one who thought so.
"He could let us die." said another soldier, and then looked at Erwin. "I'm sorry, but I had to say it."
Erwin understood it, on the battlefield false courtesies can cost your life.
"Sergeant!" Erwin handed over the rifle. "They are right, I don't think I am the right one to use it either, you should give it to someone with more experience..."
"I think it is in the right hands" interrupted Baker, paused and continued: "I know you are confused, but that is because you didn't see the enemy sniper who killed Frank."
"If you had seen him.." Baker continued: "You would know that he was a British major, with a four-power scope, and Frank shot him down with a common rifle, which of you can do that? If any could, I would give him this rifle myself."
"Maybe it was luck." muttered Paul.
"Luck?" Baker glared at him. "Against an expert sniper, luck is not enough, and you know it, that is why I think Frank is the best candidate to carry this rifle."
The others were silent, but Erwin could tell they were not convinced, what they felt was not respect, it was fear that he might not be able to support them in the middle of combat.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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