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Good job, Don ! Personally, I enjoy your style and aside the names (btw the leaders list can offer you quite a source of inspiration) I had no criticism whatsoever. Consider our few posts a small sample of natives' psyche, sort of local flavor add-on. After all, we are of latin blood and we like to have a little polemic now and then. Can't wait for the story continuation.
 
Chapter 4
Location: Military Headquarters, Bucharest

After the shock of our ambassador being murdered before my very eyes in a field, I decided that I needed some time off from the military. I asked the Chief of the Army, a good friend from the military academy, personally for leave. He saw the shaken state I was in and quickly granted it.
"You look like shit, son." he said to me when I walked in.
"Yes, Alexander. And I feel like shit too."
He sighed.
"I heard about Constantin."
I looked at the floor.
"Dreadful business, that. But, all in the name of progress I guess. It's like losing a few Bulgarians in a mining accident. Shame to lose the work, but it doesn't affect me. I've come to realize we are nothing. It doesn't matter. People are useless. Made to do your job and get out of the way for the next man. That's why death is no longer surprising."
"What if, say, I died?" I found myself saying. "Do friends matter at all? Am I just to go around saying oh that's sad, but it was meant to be?" I fumed.
"You weren't in the Great War, my friend. You don't know what it was like. Standing around in shit all day, breathing it in, sleeping next to a dead man in the trench wall next to you. That really shocks a man into an emotionless state. Where I am now. But enough of this. Tell me about your regiment. Pull up a seat." He stood up and went to the table beside his desk.
"Vodka?"
I nodded. He handed me a shot and before he could pour himself some I motioned for more. He smiled.
"I can see nothing has changed since school, my friend."
I threw my head back and let the alcohol burn in my chest.

After a few hours, I said goodbye to my old friend, and took a walk in downtown Bucharest. It was no Berlin, but was more, real, more alive. I wandered into the local marketplace and strolled around mindlessly. I bought an apple from a local woman. SHe smiled as I handed her the money. I walked down the lane, passing fish shops, butchers, and other grocers. There were two beautiful women sitting in a restaurant down the street and I headed over. One of them saw me and whispered to the other. She giggled and laughed at me. I smiled. Then, I heard shouting from behind me. I spun quickly, and my world turned upside down.
 
A man was running down the street, screaming. I thought he was delirious. But when he came into hearing, I stood still, my face flushed of all colour.
"War! War! War" he screamed.
People shouted and madly questioned each other. I turned around, and saw the girl get up with her friend, and noticing my military cap in hand, gave me a sympathetic look before heading in the opposite direction.
"Damnit!" I said and sprinted to the Military Headquarters.

Inside was a flurry of activity. Men running back and forth with reports and officers jostling back to their offices. No more lounging now. Guards were on full alert, and for the first time, were patrolling the hallway. THey were not the usual guards who I was used to seeing, but new recruits, as they appeared. Now, not knowing me, they questioned my identity.
"Excuse me." said one as I tried to push through.
"Soldier, if you don't let me pass I shall have your balls chopped off and shoved down your throat. Now let me through."
"Oh, now what attitude is this?" he scoffed to his buddy. "Well, good sir, do you have ID?"
"I don't need any...now if you'll excuse me..." I grunted as I shoved through them. "...I have a friend to see." and bolted up the stairs.
I do wish I had worn my military uniform and signs of rank, but all I had was a basic military cap, of no real rank. Shit, shit, shit I cursed myself, as I darted up the stairs, with the two guards fast on my heels.
When I reached the Chief's office, I ran in and slammed the door. Alexander whipped around from his window gazing.
"What the hell is this?" he screamed.
A banging on the door was soon evident, and i released my grip, having several guards run in and shove me to the floor.
"What the hell is this?" boomed Alexander, quieting the struggle, and brining us all to our feet.
"Release this man and get back to work. Go!" he yelled.
Reluctantly, they let me go, and with looks of hatred, and embarrassment, they marched out of the room back to their posts.
Straightening my jacket I stood at attention.
"Sir, I'm reporting for duty."
"At ease." He calmly said as he returned to his window. "I have no idea what that was about but I have no time for your foolish rabble, General." and he started to pace.
"Get back to your division, General, I am assigning them to Beltsy. You are to move out at 1300 hours tomorrow. Dismissed."
I was utterly confused. This was so sudden, and so I remained still. The Chief knew why I stayed so he explained.
"Germany..." he paused. "Germany has declared war on the Allies. Slovakia and Hungary have pledged their allegiance. We have as well. Yes, we finally did it. We joined the Axis and are now at war. We are to invade Poland in the next coming days, adn so we must prepare for war." he inhaled deeply.
"Ah, I feel young again. This takes me back...I would love to be on the lines with you General, but I am too old. Now, go, waste no more time reflecting here with me. YOu have work to do, son. God speed."
With that, he stood upright and offered a crisp salute.
I returned it, and spun on my heels. Marching outside the office, I turned and closed the door. As I passed the guards on the way out, I took no noticeof them, and could only reflect on what had just come to pass. It had all happened so suddenly, and had shcoked the world.
Well, I thought, the deal has been made. There was no going back now. It was full war. September 1, 1939. THe year of no return. As I drove back in the military jeep, I just prayed the Romanian government had not made a mistake that would cost the lives of thousand of our countrymen.
 
Chapter 6
Location: Polish Border, Lwow

The wind swept over the darkened landscape, and I could see the sun rising in the distance. The smell of gunpowder was fresh in my nostrils, and could see brief flashes in the distance. My regiment was the first heading into Poland along the Romanian border, with five other divisions of this army group. Trees lined the roads on both sides, and the going was slow. The August weather was unusually wet and the muddy tracks kept the artillery and antitank guns floundering behind us. The infantry trudged ahead gloomily, as if some forbodeing presence was ahead. Recon had indicated only one Polish division ahead, but we couldn't be certain. The air was cool and crisp, aside from the constant fear. This was the first time I had been in combat, and aside from Ivan, and several other older officers, the division was entirely fresh and not battlehardened. This could be a problem. We kept our pace for several hours until daybreak, when the Polish town of Lwow was spotted by the forward obsevers. Once the whole division was in range, I settled down for a better look on the hill we were positioned on. The town wasn;t much to look at: most buildings were smoking and crumbling from previous reaids by the air force, and there was very little activity going on.
"Sir!" I heard a voice call.
I turned to see one of my scouts hop from a waiting Kubelwagen, another of the many vehicles we had bought from Germany.
"Yes, Private?"
"Well, Sir, all the Polish units are hunkered in that town. We have not met one Pole outside this area, and so we assume that it is holding 'em all, Sir. It'll be tough, as we can't see everything, so it's pretty much house-to-house clearing. It's the nightmare, Sir."
Yes, it was, I thought.
Ivan, now next to me, snorted.
"Just tell the little fuckers to fix bayonets..." he said "...Sir." he jeered.
I trusted this man more than any other at this point so I didn't hesitate.
I called down the lines to fix bayonets, and wait for further orders.
Moments later, as I was conversing with my officers on the best course of action, I heard yet another car coming down the beaten road. Spraying dust on several hunkered men, it skidded to a stop. They rose to meet this threat, but stopped when the man inside stepped out.
It was the CHief of the Army, and he had approached to get the first good look at the ROmanian Army in action.
"Sir." I nodded.
"Ah, it' good to see you again friend." He smiled under his bushy moustache. His glare fixed on Lwow. "I trust the men are ready?"
"Uhm, yes Sir, we just we figuring out a course of acti..." I stumbled, but his hand went up in a motion to stop.
"No, there will be no planning. The Leader has expressed his thoughts of a quick victory. 'Just send the lads in', were his exact words. So, General, I intend to watch this display." he clasped my hand tightly in a firm handshake. His eyes fixed on mine. "Don't disappoint me."
I nodded, saluted, which he returned, and went back to the line. I whispered the plans to the other officers, who shook their heads in dismay.
A half hour later, all the men were assembled, and the artillery had just finished being brought up. Their barrells blasted ammunition to the town, and saw them fly into the seemingly empty plazas, and buldings. But there were Poles there, and I intended to kill them, for myself, the Leader, and Romania. I looked over at my subordinate, who blew a shrill note aon his whistle. Other responded all along the line. The men yeled fiercely, rose to the tip of the hill, and pludged over to the target. Screaming like madmen, we headed to certain death. As I charged with the men, as I always swore I would (though this greatly displeased other high ranking officials), I extended my submachinegun forward, and yelled as loudly as I could. We werre approaching the outer perimeter of the town of Lwow, without a shot being fired so far.
Suddenly, a single shot rang out from one of the buildings, and a puff of smoke drifted up into the heavens. The man next to me fell int othe ground, bledding from the back of his head. A puddle formed around him, and his lifeless body was contorted in horrible ways. One of the younger men stopped dead and vomited. ANother stopped, and ran screaming the other direction, back to the hill. Ivan pulled his service pistol and planted a bullte in his brains, while running still towards Lwow.
God help us, for what we about to receive.