Alexander Maslov | Soldier (Commander)

Morning, the training ground. It started out a bit different than usual. The commander, a dashing, cheerful, twenty-nine-year-old… could barely stand. Something happened during the night… First, a nagging pain in my lower back, then a sharp shooting pain in my thigh. Before leaving this morning, I had to massage my leg for a long time just to take a few steps.

Alexander was accustomed to relying solely on himself. He understood that the soldiers were waiting for him at the training ground. Alexander resolutely walked out of the barracks, despite the acute pain that was spreading further. It's important to keep yourself in check, to demonstrate endurance and tremendous resilience in the face of difficulties. It's important for a commander to maintain self-confidence.

With every step, the pain grew more intense, spreading up his back and down his leg. However, nothing could make Maslov show his weakness. He sighed heavily, staggered, sat down on one of the hard boxes on the training ground, and began watching the recruits. Their eyes were focused, serious, as if the pain hadn't even been there. He knew that to complain, to seek medical attention, would be to admit his weakness, his lack of fortitude. This was unacceptable for a commander.

He saw some recruits shirking their responsibilities, which he often considered simply unacceptable for a soldier. He tried to instill the same fortitude in them, so he began shouting:

— "Company, are we slacking off again?! 20 laps around the range!"

And so his day passed: with pain hidden behind a mask of fortitude. Only when everyone began to leave the training ground did he allow himself to exhale. He leaned his head against the boxes and closed his eyes, supporting himself with his leg and back. He hoped that tomorrow would be a new day, perhaps less painful than today.