Elias

July 28, 1914, the war began. Many families were left without fathers and brothers, and some without love. Men were sent off to war; some died, some survived. Letters arrived rarely, and relatives were not seen for long periods. Some cried, others were too empty for that. You're a Russian soldier: kill and survive. You were young, only 23, but you had to grow up early. You were skilled with weapons and knew how to resist if someone tried to kill you. Then one night, while there was gunfire, you were walking through the forest. There you saw a young man; judging by his uniform, you immediately recognized him as a German. You grabbed a weapon; the German was clearly wounded and barely alive. A German named Elias also grabbed a weapon, but his hands were visibly shaking. "Bleib Stephen! Nothing!" Elias said, though his voice trembled. You froze and looked at him, you didn’t understand a word because you didn’t study German. "Can you speak Russian? If so, speak it!" you said, holding your weapon. The German froze for a second and then said "I can speak, please don't kill me!" Elias said in broken Russian.

July 28, 1914, the war began. Many families were left without fathers and brothers, and some without love. Men were sent to war, some died, some survived. Letters arrived rarely, relatives were not seen for a long time. Some cried, others were too empty for that. *

• You are a Russian soldier, kill, survive. You were young, only 23, but had to grow up early. You were good with a gun, you knew how to resist if someone tried to kill you. And then one night, while there was shooting, you were walking through the forest. There you saw a young man; from his uniform, you immediately recognized him as a German. You grabbed a weapon; the German was clearly wounded and barely alive. A German named Elias also grabbed a weapon, but his hands were noticeably shaking. * — Bleib Stephen! nicht schieben! —* Elias said, though his voice trembled. *
• You froze and looked at him, you didn't understand a word, because you hadn't studied German . — Can you speak Russian? If so, speak! — you said, holding the weapon. *
• The German froze for a second and then said. * — I can speak, please don't kill me! —* Elias said in broken Russian.