“Could we go to the church right now and do it?” Hale asked.
“No Hale, I want my parents to be there too when we are married. Perhaps tomorrow?” Nea replied.
“We should at least stop by the church and talk to the preacher about tomorrow.” Jenna added.
Hale’s Father, Raynar, looked down at Aina, “Are you sure she’ll be ok under the blanket if we ride back in the dark?”
“It’s plenty warm under the blanket, she’ll be fine.” Jenna replied.
“I suppose, if you think it is necessary to talk to the preacher today.” Raynar replied testily.
“It is. We have to give him some warning that he will be expected to officiate a wedding tomorrow. Hopefully he’ll agree.” Jenna replied.
“He will. I’m sure of it. We don’t know how long Hale’s going to be with us.” Nea said.
“The Doctor said I’ll be fit for combat in about a week.” Hale replied.
“Do you think the Army will be able to hold? We’re south of the Mannerheim line here. The Government has been warning us to make ready to flee.” Raynar asked.
“They’ve got us badly outnumbered. The first time I witnessed the regular army making a stand, they held.” Hale paused for a moment before adding, “Barely.”
“I’m sure our brave men will keep us safe.” Nea said.
“We’ll try our best, but the Red Army seems to have a bottomless pool of men to sacrifice. Plus, the Russians have modern weapons like tanks, artillery, and air planes. We don’t have those things.” Hale replied.
Raynar frowned, “That’s not entirely true. When I fought in the Civil War against the Reds, we had some artillery. Plus, what about those tanks we bought from the French several years back?”
Hale quickly fell into a familiar pattern and disrespectfully rolled his eyes at what his father had to say, “Yes, I’m sure we have some artillery, but I’m hearing the Russians have thousands of guns. We have maybe a few hundred and not much ammunition.”
“Still, that is something, is it not?” Raynar replied.
Hale held up his PPD 34, “Look at this. They have thousands of guns like it.” Hale handed the weapon to his father and continued, “That gun can fire thirty rounds in thirty seconds. Now look at what I have to fight with.” Hale picked up the rifle that Raynar had given him for his thirteenth birthday.
Raynar’s cheeks began to turn crimson, “There’s nothing wrong with the rifle I bought you.”
“No there isn’t. It’s a fine weapon that has served me well for the last five years, for the purpose it was designed for, killing animals. On the modern battlefield it’s simply too slow. It can only fire six rounds in thirty seconds.” Hale replied.
“I see, but why does that matter? Aren’t you a sniper? Surely a small gun like this, no matter how fast it fires, doesn’t do you much good as a sniper.” Raynar replied.
“That would be correct, if the Soviets were nice enough to stand off and trade rifle shots with me all day, but they aren’t. I’ve had to use the PPD 34 several times, just to keep from getting overrun.” Hale said.
The conversation continued as the family emerged from the hospital onto the street. Nearby, tied to a post was the family’s horse. As Hale’s father untied the horse he said, “We can talk about this later.” He paused and threw the women a glance, “Alone.”
“As you wish father.” Hale replied.
The family, Hale, and Nea, climbed into the sled. After he finished untying the horse, Raynar took up the reigns. He pulled on the right one, and cracked the whip in the air above the family’s horse, Liv, “Let’s get going old girl.”
Liv snorted in displeasure, but dutifully obeyed the command. Her hooves made clomping noises as she began pulling the sleigh, and the family along with it, down the road. Hale relaxed as Nea leaned into him. Everyone remained silent, lost in their thoughts, as the sleigh slid over the snow-covered main street of Perkjarvi. It took but a few minutes to reach the church. Raynar pulled back on the reigns and brought the sleigh to a halt in front of the structure.
The family shuffled out of the sleigh as Raynar tied Liv up to the post in front of the church. The church, was a simple wooden structure with a squat square shaped steeple made of wood and painted white. Having weathered many harsh Finnish winters, the paint on the church, was cracking and chipping in many places. The only signs of life from the structure was a billowing cloud of smoke that emerged from a small chimney set in the back.
Hale opened the red front door and stepped into the sanctuary. Memories flooded his mind from the many Sundays he spent here, struggling to stay awake during the long service. His eyes scanned the sanctuary looking for the preacher, Oskar. The rotund old man was nowhere to be seen, “Hello?”
As Hale stepped forward to give everyone else room to enter, a plain wooden door opened in the back of the sanctuary and older bald man entered the room. Oskar was as big around as a barrel. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Korhonen family standing by the front doors. Remembering himself, he asked, “How can I help thee?”
Hale put his arm around Nea and said, “We’d like to get married.”
Oskar, his thoughts focused on his dinner that was now growing cold, frowned, “Hmm I see. Right now?”
“Tomorrow.” Nea said, and then added, “I want my parents to be here too.”
Oskar let out a breath relieved. He didn’t realize he had been holding it, “Very good, I have a funeral in the morning. The Heikkinen’s lost their eldest son in the fighting. I’m giving a service tomorrow morning here in the sanctuary.”
“What time is the burial? We can have the wedding after that.” Jenna asked.
Oskar stuttered a bit as he said, “There wo- won’t be a burial. According to the army, there.” He paused a moment steeling himself to say the words, “There wasn’t anything left of him to send home.”
Hale’s mother and Nea simultaneously turned white as sheets before Raynar said, “I see. Then the afternoon would be good?”
Oskar nodded, “Yes, any time after two o’clock should be fine. Will there be many in attendance?”
Hale opened up his arms to indicate the people around him, “Just my family and Nea’s. We don’t have much time to put together a large wedding. I’m due back to the front in a week.”
“Very good then. I’ll see you tomorrow, at two o’clock.” Oskar replied.
“Two o’clock it is. Thank you, sir.” Hale replied.
The family turned and left the little sanctuary. Outside, the wind had picked up and the biting cold made everyone pull their coats closer. The village was cast in a golden light as the Sun hung low on the western horizon creating long shadows.
Without warning a dull wale began to sound from the center of the village. The warbling alarm, faint at first, grew louder as it sped up faster and faster. Reacting to the warning, the villagers scrambled for cover.
“What’s that noise?” Nea asked.
“It’s an air raid siren!” Hale exclaimed. “We must find shelter.”
The sound of an air craft engine droning could be heard. Hale glanced up into the sky and saw a plane diving toward the main street of the village, “We’ve got to get Liv off the street or we are going to lose her!”
Raynar, turned and looked at Hale, “Untie her and lead her to safety. I’ll take care of the women.”
Hale turned and ran toward Liv who was tied to a post in front of the church. As he reached the animal, the noise of the air craft shifted and became higher pitched. As he worked to unbuckle her from the sleigh, he stole a quick glance over his shoulder. He spotted the approaching plane. Like everything else the Russians owned, the fighter was painted a dull and drab olive green. Each wing on the airplane sported a large red star.
The aircraft was diving straight toward the main street of the village. I’ve got to hurry! The pilot lined up his aircraft up perfectly with the main boulevard of Perjarvi. It almost seemed as if he was going trying to land the p
lane on the road. Hale stole another glance as he began working to untie Liv from the post, he noticed that the edges of the wings would just fit between the structures that lined main street.
As Hale finished with the knot and pulled Liv free of the post, the plane began to fire. Bullets struck the ground a few hundred feet down the street from Hale scattering those still in the street. The young sniper pulled hard on Liv’s bridal to get the old horse moving as the line of bullets rapidly approached. As he pulled hard on Liv’s bridal, Hale stole another glance back at the two advancing lines of bullets. Desperate to get out of the way of the advancing line of death, he tried to run as fast as he could toward the edge of the church and safety.
As Hale reached the corner of the structure, the plane sounded as if it was right behind him. The sound of dual machine guns firing and the roar of the engine created a frightening racket. Desperate to escape, he forgot his injury as he pulled hard on Liv’s bridal with his right arm. His injured shoulder screamed in protest as he led the horse into the alleyway between the church and a house. A trail of bullets was emblazoned into the ground, just missing Liv’s hind quarter as Hale pulled the horse to safety.
The sound of the bullets striking so close to her back legs caused Liv to spook and rear up on her hind legs. Hale lost his grip on her bridal as she yanked herself free of his grasp. Losing his balance, he fell to the ground. Time seemed to freeze as he looked up at the bottom of Liv’s hooves hovering over him.
Sporadic gunfire echoed through the village as people fired their guns at the departing air craft. The sound snapped Hale out of his frozen state and he rolled to the side just as Liv’s hooves came smashed down upon the snow-covered earth with a loud thump in the spot he had just occupied.
Raynar grabbed her bridal with both of his hands and began whispering into Liv’s ear to calm her, “Easy girl, it’s ok. You made it, you’re safe now.”
Liv, whinnied in protest as her panic filled eyes bulged. Hale, his shoulder still screaming in protest, came to his feet and joined his father. The two men worked to calm the frightened animal as they whispered soothing words into both of Liv’s ears, “You’re good now Liv, the plane can’t get you here.”
Slowly the panic-stricken horse calmed and the two men relaxed. The sound of a car engine sputtering to life could be heard over the wails of the town’s folk injured in the attack. The sound of the car engine increased as the driver accelerated rapidly toward the nearby cover of the forest.
Hale stepped out of the alleyway and looked in the direction the plane had flown in. He was surprised to see the air craft was drawing closer. It must have turned around and was now returning for another strafing run, “Fuck!” Hale exclaimed.
“Language Hale.” Raynar barked.
“My language is the least of our worries. The fucking bastard is coming back.” Hale gruffly replied.
Raynar, maintaining his grip on Liv’s bridal, turned toward the women who were standing up and brushing the snow off their clothes, “Get back down. The plane is returning.”
Nea and Jenna nodded. The two women pulled Aina down with them as they laid back down on the freezing ground. Ignoring his family, Hale ran to the sleigh, and pulled out his rifle. As the plane approached, Hale noted that it was a fighter/bomber based on what he had been taught. His eyes focused on the single bomb attached to the undercarriage for a moment. Why didn’t the bastard drop the bomb on us?
Focusing his mind on the task at hand, he raised up his rifle and took aim at the pilot. The pilot, seeing Hale standing defiantly in the middle of the street with his rifle raised, adjusted his course slightly, so that the bold Finn was lined up in his cross hairs.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Hale stood his ground, and held his breath. As the young sniper took aim and lined up the iron sights of his rifle on the brown leather skull cap of the pilot’s head, a line of bullets smacking into the ground began advancing toward him. Hale ignored the danger of the approaching attack and squeezed the trigger. His rifle barked and the stock recoiled hitting him in his bad shoulder. He choked off a scream as he dove to the side to avoid being hit by the rapidly advancing line of bullets.
As Hale dove into the alleyway and rolled to a stop, his bullet smashed through the canopy of the cockpit. The misshapen lead bullet, began tumbling through the air as it struck the forehead of the pilot. The bullet, traveling at greater than the speed of sound, met the pilot’s forehead which was traveling at around four hundred mile per hour as his plane dove with a dull smack. The bone of the pilot’s forehead, shattered into pieces at the impact and continued traveling into the pilot’s brain at over one thousand mile per hour, cleaving the organ in half.
Killed instantly, the pilot slumped forward onto the air craft’s controls, causing the plane to spin out of control. A few moments later a large fireball erupted as the plane struck several trees just outside of town. Raynar, his mouth hanging open exclaimed, “My God Hale you shot the plane down!”
Raynar’s sentence was choked off as a large secondary explosion from the crash site rocked the village. The bomb. Hale thought.
The villagers stood up and began cheering at the sudden change in fortunes. A moment before they had been cowering in the dirt, now they stood tall and shook their fists at the tower of flames burning in the forest. Hale, exhausted by what had just transpired, sank to his knees.
Nea’s warm arms wrapping around him, barely registered in his mind as a fog of numbness descended upon him, “Hale you’re a hero, you saved the village!” Nea shouted in excitement.
Seeing the smiling face of the woman he loved, the mother of his child, Hale snapped out of his state and smiled faintly, “Hale what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Asked the worried voice of his mother.
As Nea helped Hale to his feet he said, “I’m just tired mom, really tired.”
“Let’s get you home then. You’ll feel better with a warm meal and some rest.” Jenna, his mom said.
The family climbed back into the sleigh, as Raynar worked to fasten Liv back to the sleigh’s yoke. Nea, led Hale by the hand, and helped to get him into the sleigh. His mother, picked up his rifle, the rifle that they had given him for his thirteenth birthday. The weapon he had just used to kill a man. Overcome by what had happened to her boy, and what had happened to her people she began to weep.
Raynar, noticing his wife’s distress asked, “Jeanna, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“Our innocent boy has become a killer of men.” Jenna replied, “Soon he will be forced to go back to the front and fight. He might not come back! And God willing he survives, he won’t be our boy anymore.” Overcome by her grief she sobbed before adding, “I want our family back.”
Raynar wrapped his arms around Jenna and held her as she cried, “It will be ok honey. We taught our boy well. He’s smart, and resourceful. He’ll come back home to us.”
Jenna looked up into the kind eyes of her husband and nodded slowly. She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her nose, the mucus was already freezing to her skin and nodded slowly, “I hope you’re right. I pray that you are right.”
Hale fell asleep in Nea’s arms as the Karhonen family’s sleigh made its way over the frozen lands of southern Finland toward their home. Hale was woken with a kiss from Nea when they arrived. It was dark, “Aina can you bring some firewood in so your mom can start the stove?” Raynar asked.
“Yes father.” Hale’s sister replied.
“I’ll get some soup started while your father puts Liv away in the barn.” Jenna said.
“I can help father with Liv.” Hale said.
“Nonsense. You’re hurt and exhausted. You are going to bed young man. I’ll wake you when the food is ready.” Jenna said.
Hale turned to Nea and said, “We’ll you stay with me love?”
Nea shook her head, “No, I’ve got to go tell my parents the exciting news about the wedding tomorrow and get a dress ready. You rest now and recover your strength. You’ll need it tomorrow nigh
t.” Nea winked as she said the last few words.
Overhearing the exchange between his son and Nea, Raynar coughed loudly. Nea’s cheeks turned a deep crimson as she realized that Hale’s father had overheard her, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Hale said.
“Yes, the next time you see me, we’ll be getting married!” Nea exclaimed excitedly.
The young couple embraced and kissed, “Be careful in the woods going home.” Hale said.
“No worries love. The forest is my home.” Nea replied as a wolf howled. The couple held hands and listened to the long and mournful bay of the predator.
Hale quickly found his way to his old bedroom and collapsed on the bed in exhaustion. He didn’t bother to take any of his clothing off, and he was asleep a moment after his head hit the pillow. He slept for a few hours until he was awoken to join the family for dinner.
The family quickly fell into old patters of familiarity as they sat around the kitchen table enjoying a meal together for the first time in months. After the meal, as Jenna and Aina worked to clean up. Raynar led Hale into his study. He poured each of them a drink and then raised his glass in a toast, “To my boy Hale. A hero of Finland.”
Hale raised his glass of port and gently taped it against his father’s, “I wouldn’t know about that hero nonsense. I’m just trying to survive and keep my country safe.”
“Boy.” Hale’s father paused for a moment, “I can’t call you that anymore. You proved that to me today. Hale, what I witnessed today was an act of unspeakable bravery. You intentionally put yourself in danger, and stood your ground while you lined up that shot. It was the damnedest thing I had ever seen. You saved lives today.”
Hale opened his mouth to interrupt the praise from his father. The older Karhonen held up his hand and said, “Let me finish. I raised you to be a good hunter. Trained you how to shoot, but what I witnessed today was just incredible. How did you make that shot?”
The Winter Sniper Page 18