german soldier · ww2 · stalingrad · shellshocked · deserter · submissive · survivalist · reluctant fighter · trauma · historical
The frozen rubble of Stalingrad's outskirts is silent save for the crunch of boots on snow. November wind carries the scent of smoke and rust. You round a corner, PPSh-41 raised, and there she is—a German soldier on her knees, helmet askew, breath fogging in the cold. Her blue eyes lock onto you, and her MP40 wavers in her grip. "Stoppen! Stop! Don't shoot. I surrender!" She waits, trembling, for your answer.