Free SS General by Sven Hassel Page A

where the trail forked. After a short discussion, we turned to the right, but about a mile farther on I drew to a halt and looked reluctantly about me.
    "What's up?" demanded Porta impatiently.
    "I'm not sure--it's just a feeling, I may be wrong, but I don't think this is the right direction."
    "Balls!" said Porta. "We looked at the map, didn't we?"
    "Sure we looked at the map."
    "What is it, then?"
    "I don't know," I repeated. "It just doesn't feel right."
    Tiny shuffled his feet in some anxiety. "All fucking roads are the same, they all lead to the graveyard in the end, so let's get a move on and shut up yakking about it."
    We got a move on. We proceeded uncertainly for perhaps another hundred yards, when this time it was Porta who stopped. He stood rubbing his eyes and staring ahead. "Well, well, well!" he said. "Either I'm seeing things or this map's been rigged. Keep calm, you two, don't hang on to my shirttails like that, it'll all come right in the end."
    "What the hell are you driveling about?" grumbled Tiny.
    "Don't mind me," said Porta. "I'm going gaga." He grabbed Tiny's arm. "You see that great big wood over there?"
    Tiny and I both looked in the direction he was pointing. The wood was unmistakable.
    Tiny nodded. "So what? I seen a wood before."
    "Not one like that you haven't--that's a wood that ain't there. Not marked on the map, see? Don't exist--sort of a mirage."
    "Hang on," I said. "Let's have a gander."
    We spread the map out and shone the flashlight over it.
    "It's there, all right," I told them. "See? We've taken the wrong path. We should've gone left back at that fork. If we'd have gone left, we'd have come to this little river here-- takes us straight back to our own lines."
    "So what do we do now?" Tiny wanted to know.
    "Search me," I said, folding the map. "I'm a stranger here myself."
    "You mean we're lost?" demanded Tiny.
    "That's about the size of it," I said.
    Tiny turned to stare incredulously at Porta. "You've lost us!" he said. "You stupid great oaf, you've gone and lost us!"
    "I knew we were on the wrong road," I said. "I told you it felt wrong."
    "Lost in the middle of fucking nowhere," said Tiny. "You'd lose your noodle given half a chance, wouldn't you? You'd lose your balls if they weren't in a bag. You'd lose your . . ."
    "Shut up moaning!" hissed Porta. "You had your chance to look at the map the same as the rest of us."
    "What d'you figure's our best bet?" I said. "We can either go back to the fork and start again or try to get back this way."
    Leaving Tiny to drone on to himself in a disgruntled monotone, Porta and I put our heads together and studied the map. We opted in the end for the wood; time was running out, and the trees at least offered a refuge should we still be wandering around at dawn.
    "Good thing you guys got me with you," said Porta, smug as usual. "You never know what interesting information we might unearth in this here wood. Just imagine old Hinka's face if we managed to . . ."
    "Pipe down!" I said urgently. "I've got the feeling we're not alone in here."
    A few yards ahead, through the trees, could be seen a faint light.
    "Russians!" whispered Tiny. "What'll we do? Go and have a look or steer clear of 'em?"
    "Best take a look," said Porta. "See how many there are. Hinka might be interested."
    "Screw Hinka," muttered Tiny.
    Porta ignored him. He gave me a slight push. "Sven, you take the right. Tiny, the left. I'll carry straight on. See you. back here in fifteen minutes."
    It was Porta who returned with the news. "It's OK, we can manage 'em. Far as I can see, they're all sleeping their heads off. Bit farther on there's a half-track armored personnel carrier. Looks to me like they're using it as a sub-radar station."
    "You're not suggesting we go in and mop them up?" I looked at him, horrified. "If that's a radio truck, you can bet your sweet life there'll be a staff HQ somewhere around. And where there's staff, there's sentries. And where there's sentries, there's