Dan Smith - Red Winter

The division had halted in the valley, but had sent outriders to scout the surrounding area – a pair was heading directly towards Dolinsk, and others were moving east and west, one pair coming right at us. Two men on horseback, Cossacks from the look of them, riding well, as all Cossacks did. They wore thick coats the colour of grain sacks but ingrained with the dirt of war and emblazoned with red stars on the cuffs. Brown boots, winter hats, rifles over their shoulders and sabres at their belts. These were professional soldiers, not conscripts. They would be a deadly opponent, well used to fighting from horseback and not afraid to kill. If they knew I was a deserter, that Tanya and Lyudmila were… whatever they were, the Cossacks would not hesitate to execute us.

‘I see them,’ she said before I could speak. ‘What do you want to do? Shoot them?’

‘I’m not so sure that would be a good idea.’

‘You don’t think?’ Her voice was heavy with sarcasm.

‘We should just go,’ Lyudmila said, turning her horse.

‘Go where?’ I asked. ‘We’d never outrun them. Their horses will be fit, maybe fitter than ours, and those men will be good shots.’

‘Not that good,’ Lyudmila argued.

‘Maybe not, but do you really want to take that chance?’

‘What do you suggest, then?’ Tanya asked, fixing me with those cold blue eyes. ‘What’s stopping them from taking us back to the rest of them? Or from just killing us where we are?’

‘I’ll go and talk to them,’ I said.

‘And say what?’

‘Something that will make them leave us alone.’

‘Really? What could you say that—’

‘Can I trust you to look after Anna?’ I really had no other choice, and neither did they. There was no way we could try to run.

‘She’ll be safe with us,’ Lyudmila said, and when she looked at Anna, there was the briefest moment when her sullen mask seemed to slip. Just a flash and then it was gone.

‘I want to come with you,’ Anna said.

‘It’s better if you stay here. They’ll wonder why I have a child with me. It might make them suspicious.’ I was sure I could handle the Cossacks, but not with Anna on my horse – that would raise too many questions and undermine the authority I would have to portray to these men. ‘And if they decide they don’t like me…’ I shook my head. ‘It’s better you stay here.’

‘Why don’t we just ride away?’ she said. ‘Kashtan will—’

‘Please, Anna. Just do as I ask.’

She gritted her teeth to show her displeasure, but swung her leg over and slid from Kashtan’s back. ‘I’m scared, Kolya.’

‘So am I,’ I whispered to her, ‘but we need to be strong.’

Anna nodded. ‘Do you promise to come back?’

‘I promise.’ I leaned down and put a hand to her face before looking at Tuzik. ‘You wait here too. Look after Anna.’

Tuzik cocked his head to one side. He knew I was talking to him, but that was all. He couldn’t be told to follow orders.

‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Tanya asked.

‘You have a better one? Just make sure you keep your hands off your guns.’ I put my own into my belt, within easy reach. ‘Unless…’ I shrugged. ‘Well, you know.’

With a creak of saddle leather, I turned Kashtan and set off towards the approaching Cossacks. Tuzik sprang to his feet and followed. ‘Stay here,’ I said, pointing. ‘With Anna .’

To my surprise, the big dog stopped and looked back at Anna. He switched his attention a few times, from her to me, as if deciding whether or not to obey. In the end, he chose not to, and when I nudged Kashtan into a gallop, Tuzik ran after us, body low to the ground, just like a wolf.

The outriders drew pistols as they came closer, slowing their horses so we came together a good two hundred metres from where the women waited. They circled round me once and came to halt so they were on either side of me.

Tuzik stood with his muscles tensed and ready to attack, his fur bristling on his neck. His lip lifted to show his teeth and he let out a long, low growl, stirring the Cossacks’ horses. These men were good riders, almost born in the saddle, but faced with a threatening predator, their horses backed away to a safe distance.

‘Keep your dog under control,’ one of them said, and the way he moved his pistol, I knew what he meant.

‘He won’t do anything unless I tell him.’ It wasn’t true – I had no power over the dog – but though Tuzik’s presence might anger them, it might work in my favour too. He was a distraction, and a vicious dog could be as frightening as a loaded gun.

‘Are you heading for Tambov?’ I asked once they had calmed their animals.

‘Who are you?’ This man had a serious face, with a thick beard and a moustache that was turned up at the corners. He wore a sabre across his belly, clipped to an ammunition belt that circled his waist and held his coat together. He also wore cartridge bandoliers criss-crossed over his chest. His hat was thick and pulled tight on his head.

‘I’ll ask you the same thing,’ I said, turning to look at the second man.

This one had his hat pushed back and was without the array of bullets gleaming on his coat. He had a scraped chin, but his moustache was as impressive as his partner’s. His eyes, though, betrayed his fear. He didn’t take his eyes off Tuzik.

‘Who are you?’ the first man asked again. ‘Let me see your papers.’

‘Papers? You’re asking me for papers? I am Commander Krukov,’ I said, not daring to use my own name in case they had heard of my desertion, ‘operating from the Tambov Cheka.’ I glanced over my shoulder at Tanya and Lyudmila. ‘My comrades and I are working on… Chekist business.’ The mere mention of the work registered immediately with the two men. ‘Put your weapons away,’ I said, ‘or I will be speaking to your commander.’ I stared at him hard. ‘I will ask him to turn you men over to me right away.’

The two men shared a hesitant look. They weren’t used to being spoken to in such a way.

‘I—’

‘Let me see your papers,’ I said, ‘so that I know your names. I don’t have time to deal with your counter-revolutionary behaviour right now, but when I am done, I will come back for you. Maybe put you in a room with my dog.’

Both men looked at Tuzik and he, as if playing to his audience, raised his lip and snarled.

‘That won’t be necessary, Comrade Commander,’ said the first man, lowering his pistol. ‘I apologise for the insult. We have to check, you understand. You’re not in uniform, so—’

‘You think we always wear uniform?’

‘I thought—’

‘If we always wore our uniforms, you would always know who we are. Sometimes it is better for us to be… unseen.’

‘Yes, Comrade Commander.’

I looked them both up and down, showing my disdain, then I sighed and softened, letting them feel as if they’d had a lucky escape. ‘It’s all right,’ I said. ‘It’s been a long day.’ An idea came to me. ‘There are other Chekists operating in this area, men I sent north with prisoners, have you seen them?’

‘No.’ The man shook his head. ‘Do they have dogs like this?’

‘You think there are other dogs like this?’

He shrugged.

‘Where are you men coming from?’ I asked.

He looked back at the army. ‘All over. Most are fresh conscripts, but many have come east from Ukraine, Poland. Some from Riga. They say we’re needed here, some kind of rebellion.’

‘All right. Well…’ I glanced down at his pistol. ‘You men need to get on with your jobs. Your unit is relying on you.’

‘You want us to take you to meet our commander?’

‘I don’t have time for that, and nor do you – you have a job to do.’