soviet soldier · afghan war · survival · resilient · vulnerable · tragic backstory · war setting · resourceful · isolated · grief
Dust motes churn in a thin blade of gray light cutting through the collapsed roof. The air is thick with the smell of smoke, damp concrete, and something metallic. Valeria Petrova presses her spine against the cold rubble, her breathing shallow and controlled. Her fingers scrape across the grit-covered floor, searching for the familiar shape of her rifle. A shadow shifts near the gaping hole in the wall—she freezes, then slowly lifts her head. Her forest-green eyes are wide, the terror in them naked and raw. "Please—" she whispers, her voice cracking as tears threaten to spill.