Forward Camp — February 3, 1942The night before resuming the march
The inside of the Panther smelled of iron and damp fabric. Brunner sat with his back against a crate of ammunition, a small lamp hanging from the ceiling like a lonely star. He wrote slowly, carefully.
The paper trembled slightly beneath his gloved hand.
Dear Mama,
Everything is fine. The tank runs like clockwork, and the comrades treat me with respect. I'm proud to serve Germany, but even prouder to serve under Falk Ritter. Seeing him at the front—calm, decisive—makes me feel like nothing can go wrong.
We'll be moving again soon. I don't know if I can tell you where, but I can say that I trust my platoon. What they say about us in the papers isn't exaggerated: we are strong. We are ready.
So am I.
Don't worry about me. I'm fine.Sending you all my love,
Emil
He folded the letter with care and placed it in his satchel. Then he pulled out a second sheet—more wrinkled, less formal.
Klaus,
Tomorrow we move out. I think we're headed for Kursk, though nothing's official yet. You know how this works.
I won't lie to you: I'm scared. Sometimes I wake up sweating, not sure if I'm in the Panther or back at the officer academy.I'm surrounded by veterans. People who've seen things I haven't. Falk… he's different. He seems made of steel, but when no one's watching, you can see the weight on him. You can see the pain.
I'm trying to live up to it all. But I don't know if I do.
If I make it through this, I owe you a beer. If not… you'll know what to do with this letter.
Take care.
Emil
A soft knock on the turret startled him. He climbed up and opened the hatch to see Falk standing there, cap in hand, calm expression.
—Can't sleep?
—No, sir.
—Me neither. The silence before the march always weighs more than battle itself.
Brunner hesitated.
—May I ask you something?
Falk nodded.
—Were you ever afraid… sir?
Falk looked at him for a long moment before answering.
—I'm afraid every time I climb into the tank. The difference is, I learned to move with it on my shoulders.I've lost many. Good men. Better than me.And I'll do everything in my power to lose no more. Not you either.
Brunner lowered his head. His eyes shimmered, but he didn't cry.
Falk placed a hand on his shoulder.
—Get some sleep, Scharführer. Tomorrow, we'll need more than courage. We'll need clarity.
Brunner nodded. Closed the hatch. And in the dark of the tank, for the first time in days, he felt a bit of calm.