Burning Eastern Europe V

"Everyone, don't let your guard down yet!"

Drasowicz waved his hand and shouted:

"That was only the Russians testing us. The real battle comes next!"

However, his left cheek was badly swollen, making his words somewhat slurred. For a moment, no one paid him any attention.

Drasowicz grew anxious. He climbed onto the parapet and was about to keep shouting when the company commander came over, patted him on the shoulder, and shook his head. "Let them enjoy themselves for a while. There'll be fewer and fewer chances to relax like this from now on."

Their company's mission was to hold Zagazke Village for three days. So far, only three hours had passed.

After celebrating for a while, the soldiers began collecting the bodies and treating the wounded.

Priest Staszak, assigned to Drasowicz's company, arrived. He stood before each fallen soldier and offered a brief prayer for them.

The company commander hurried over and said anxiously, "Priest Staszak, you shouldn't have come now. The Russians could attack at any moment. It's too dangerous here..."

The priest waved a hand calmly. "I must bring the Lord's comfort to these young men."

By the time he and his assistant had finished praying for all forty-one fallen soldiers on the Zagazke Village defensive line and were hurrying toward the next defensive position, the Russian Bugle Call was already sounding in the distance.

The priest turned back, raised his wrinkled hand, and called out, "Brave crusaders, God is with you!"

A thunderous cheer immediately erupted across the position.

Drasowicz narrowed his eyes at the Russian soldiers pouring continuously from the woods ahead, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. "At least thirteen hundred men. Maybe more..."

Then, faintly, came the voices of Rangers reporting to their officers in the distance. "The Russians are assembling... centered