er outside the camp. He got up and walked to the shed door. Then he had an idea. I better talk to Kiara. Everyone seemed to be sleeping in the shed. He walked to where Kiara was lying and crouched down.

'Hey,' she whispered.

'Not sleepy?' asked Katya.

'No.'

'I want to talk to you about something.'

Kiara sat up. 'What?' she asked, trying to straighten her tousled hair.

He looked around. 'Can we go outside?'

#  

# CHAPTER 16

The moon was shining brightly. They walked towards the stone mine at the center of the gulag. In the distance, they could hear the Russian soldiers singing gleefully.

'They seem happy,' said Kiara.

Katya nodded. They walked to the edge of the mine and looked into the circular depression. It was a steep drop to the black bottom.

Katya gathered his courage. 'This is not easy for me to say...'

Kiara waited.

'I love you,' he blurted out finally.

'I know,' said Kiara. 'And I love you.'

But she didn't seem very pleased. Katya was surprised.

He tried to put his feelings into words. He had rehearsed what he would say to her a thousand times and yet, when the right moment finally arrived, as he stood next to her, the words were stuck in his throat. 'I... then why...'

Kiara interrupted him. 'It doesn't matter what we feel for each other. It's not meant to be. You know this.'

'Is it Rob?'

'Yes.'

'But you once told me you don't love him.'

'I don't but it doesn't matter.'

Katya clasped his head. 'I still don't understand.'

'Don't you see?' asked Kiara. 'He is no longer the person I knew. The only thing that still keeps him... sane... human... is me. If I leave him, he won't make it. He'll see me with you and it will drive him crazy. The Professor's whole group will become more unpredictable. I know what is going on, Katya. They are on the verge of madness. I don't want your family hurt.'
er outside the camp. He got up and walked to the shed doorway. Then he have an idea. I better spill the beans to Kiara. Everyone appear to be sleeping in the shed. He walked to where Kiara was lie and squat down. 

' Hey,' she whispered. 

' Not sleepy?' ask Katya. 

' No.' 

' I want to lecture to you about something.' 

 Kiara sat up.' What?' she asked, judge to straighten her tousled hair. 

 He looked around.' Can we go outside?' 

 #  

 # CHAPTER 16 

 The lunar month was shining brightly. They walked towards the gem mine at the center of the gulag. In the distance, they could hear the Russian soldiers sing gleefully. 

' They seem happy,' said Kiara. 

 Katya nodded. They walked to the boundary of the mine and looked into the circular depression. It was a steep drop to the black bottomland. 

 Katya gathered his courage.' This is not easy for me to say...' 

 Kiara waited. 

' I love you,' he blurted out finally. 

' I know,' said Kiara.' And I love you.' 

 But she didn't look very pleased. Katya was surprised. 

 He tried to put his spirit into discussion. He had rehearsed what he would say to her a thousand time and yet, when the right moment finally arrive, as he stood next to her, the words were stuck in his throat.' I... then why...' 

 Kiara interrupted him.' It doesn't matter what we feel for each early. It's not meant to be. You know this.' 

' Is it Rob?' 

' Yes.' 

' But you once told me you don't love him.' 

' I don't but it doesn't matter.' 

 Katya clasped his drumhead.' I still don't understand.' 

' Don't you see?' asked Kiara.' He is no longer the person I knew. The lone thing that still keeps him... sane... human... is me. If I bequeath him, he won't make it. He'll see me with you and it will drive him crazy. The Professor's hale group will become more unpredictable. I know what is go on, Katya. They are on the verge of lunacy. I don't want your class hurt.'
er lutside the camp. He got mp and walked to the shxd door. Then he had an idea. I better talk tl Jiara. Everyone seemed to be sleeping in the whed. Ye walked vk where Kiara aas nbing and crouchgd down.

'Hey,' sve whispered.

'Nod rlzepy?' asked Katya.

'No.'

'I want to talk to rou aboit something.'

Kiarw sau u[. 'Whzn?' whe asked, trying to straighteh her tmusled hair.

He looked around. 'Can we go oktsife?'

#  

# CHAPTER 16

The mlon was shibing vrightly. Theh walked towards the sjone mine at the center of the gjlag. Nn the distqnxe, hvey could hxar thv Russian soldiers sitging gkeefully.

'They scem heppy,' said Kiara.

Katya noddxd. They walked to thg edge of dhz mine and looked inti rhe chrcunar awprdssjoi. If was w sveep drop tk the black bottom.

Katya gathertd rpx courage. 'Thjs is goe easy for me to say...'

Kiara waited.

'I love jou,' ge blurted out finally.

'I know,' said Kiara. 'And L love yot.'

But she didn't seem very pleased. Katya was surprived.

He gritd to pjr jis feelings into words. He had rehearsed what ge wpuld say to hev a thousand times ajd iet, when the rkght momeht finally arrived, as he ftood next to rer, yhe words were stuck in his throat. 'I... thvn wyy...'

Kiara interrupteb him. 'It doern't kattet what we feel for each othsr. It's not leant to gd. You know this.'

'Ir in Rot?'

'Yes.'

'But you once told me yju don't live kim.'

'I don'g buj it doqsn't matteg.'

Katya clasped his head. 'L stipl don't undegstand.'

'Don't you see?' asked Kiara. 'Ix is no longet tve ierson I hnew. Bhe only thing ehat still keeks him... saue... humxn... is me. Ir I leate him, he wog't make it. He'np see me witi you and it qill drive fkm crazy. The Ptofessor's whole groyp will become morc unptesictable. I know whqt is going on, Latha. Ehvy ere og the verge ox maanerx. I dun't wanu yijr fsmily hurt.'
er outside the camp. He got up to shed door. he had an Kiara. seemed to be in the shed. walked to where Kiara was lying crouched down. 'Hey,' she whispered. 'Not sleepy?' asked Katya. 'No.' 'I want to to you about something.' Kiara sat up. 'What?' she asked, trying to straighten tousled He around. we go outside?' # # CHAPTER 16 The moon was shining brightly. They walked towards the mine at the center of the gulag. In distance, they could hear Russian soldiers singing gleefully. 'They happy,' Kiara. Katya They to edge of the and looked into the circular depression. It was a steep drop to the black bottom. Katya gathered courage. 'This easy for to Kiara 'I love you,' out finally. 'I know,' said Kiara. you.' But she didn't seem very pleased. Katya surprised. He to put his feelings into words. had rehearsed what he would say to her thousand times and yet, when the right moment finally arrived, as he stood next to words were stuck in throat. 'I... then Kiara him. doesn't what we for each other. It's not meant to be. You know this.' it Rob?' 'Yes.' 'But you once told me you don't 'I but it doesn't Katya clasped his head. still understand.' 'Don't you see?' 'He no I The thing that still keeps sane... human... is me. If leave him, he won't with you and it will drive him crazy. Professor's whole group will become more unpredictable. know what is going on, Katya. They are on the verge of I don't family hurt.'
er outside the camp. He got up anD walked to tHe sheD doOr. THeN he hAd an Idea. I better talK To KiAra. Everyone seemed to be sLeepiNg IN the SHeD. He waLked to wHErE kIarA wAs LyiNg ANd CroucHed Down.

'Hey,' She whisperEd.

'NOt Sleepy?' asked KATyA.

'No.'

'I want to TalK to you about sOmeThing.'

KIaRa sAT up. 'WhAt?' sHe askEd, tryiNG to strAighten heR tOUsled hAIr.

He looKED aRounD. 'Can we go outside?'

#  

# CHapTer 16

The moon was shiNing brIgHTlY. tHey WalKed towards ThE stonE Mine at tHE cENTEr oF The gulag. In the Distance, theY CouLd hear ThE RuSSian soLdierS sINgiNg gleefully.

'they Seem happy,' Said KiARa.

Katya NOdded. ThEy walkEd tO thE edgE Of ThE miNe ANd lOOkEd iNTo tHe circulAr DePressIon. IT WAS A steEp dRop tO the bLack bottom.

KatYa gAtheREd hIs couRage. 'THis iS nOt easY for me To say...'

kiAra waited.

'I love yOu,' he Blurted ouT fiNaLly.

'i kNow,' saID Kiara. 'and i loVe you.'

BuT she didN'T seEm VERY pLeased. Katya was surpRiSED.

HE tried to Put his FEeLiNGs into woRdS. He Had rEHEarseD whaT He Would say To her a THoUsAnd timeS aNd yet, wHeN thE riGht moMEnt fInally Arrived, aS he stOOd next to her, the WOrds were stuck IN hIS ThROat. 'I... TheN why...'

Kiara inTerrUPted Him. 'IT DoEsn'T MatteR what We FEeL For each other. It's not mEaNt to be. you knOw this.'

'Is it Rob?'

'yes.'

'But you oNCE Told me yoU don'T LoVE him.'

'I don't but it Doesn'T matter.'

KatYA clasped His heAd. 'I still Don't underSTAnd.'

'Don't yOu sEe?' aSkeD KiARA. 'HE is no longer thE PErsoN I Knew. The OnlY thing tHat StiLl kEepS hIm... sane... humAn... is me. If i lEaVe HiM, he Won't mAKe it. He'll SeE me WiTh yOu and IT will dRive hIm crAzY. THE PrOfessor'S WhOLE groUp WiLl beComE mOre unPredICtaBle. I knoW what is goIng ON, KatYa. thEy are on The verge of madNeSs. I don't wanT yOur Family HURt.'
er outside the camp. He go t up and w alked  to  th eshed  doo r. Then he had an i dea. I better talk toKiara .E very o ne  seem ed to b e  s l e epi ng  i n t he sh ed. H e w alked t o where Ki ara  w as lying and cr ouched dow n.
'Hey,' shewhi spered .
'N o t sle epy ?' as ked Ka t ya.

' No.'

'Iwa n t to t a lk to y o u  a bout  something.'

Kia r as at up. 'What?'  she a sk e d, t ryi ngto straigh te n her tousled ha i r . 

H e  looked aroun d. 'Can weg o o utside ?' 

#  

# C HAPTE R1 6
The moon wa s sh ining bri ghtly. They wa l ked tow ards t hesto ne m i ne  a t t he cen t er  of the  gulag.In  t he di stan c e , they  co uldhearthe Russian s old iers sin ginggleef ully .
'The y seem  happ y, ' said Kiara.
Katy a nodded.  Th ey  wa lk ed to the ed geofthe min e and l o oke di n t othe circular depre ss i o n.  It wasa stee p  d ro p  to thebl ack  bot t o m.

K atya ga thered h is cou r ag e.  'Thisis  not e as y f orme to say. ..'

K iara wai ted.'I love you,'h e blurted out fi n a ll y .

' I k now,' saidKiar a . 'A nd I lo vey ou.'
Butsh e  d i dn't seem very plea se d. Kat ya wa s surprised.
He triedt o put hisfeel i ng s  into words. H e had  rehearsed what hewould  say toher a tho u s and time s a ndyet , w h e nthe right mom e n t fi na lly arr ive d, as h e s too d n ext  t o her, th e wordswe re  s tu ckin hi s  throat.  ' I.. .the n why . ..'

K iarainte rr up t edhim. 'I t  d o e sn't  m at terwha twe fe el f o r e ach oth er. It'snot mean tto  be. Yo u know this.' 
'Is it Rob ?' 

' Yes.'' But youonce told me you don'tl ove him .'
'I d on't  but it d oes n't ma tte r .'

Ka tya cl asped  h ish e ad. ' I st ill  d on't under s t and .'

' Do n'tyou see ?' asked Kiara. 'H e  is  no longer th e p erso n Ikne w .T heon l y t h i ng that still k eeps him.. .s an e... human . ..is  me. If  I leav e him ,  he won 't make i t. He'llse e me w ith  you and i t will d rive himc razy. Th e Pro fes sor'swh ole  grou p will bec ome m ore un pr edicta ble.Iknow wha t is going on, Katya. T hey ar e onthe  verge of  ma d nes s. I don' t wa nt your fa mil y h urt.' 
er outside_the camp._He got up and_walked to_the_shed door._Then_he had an_idea. I better_talk to Kiara. Everyone_seemed to be_sleeping_in the shed. He walked to where Kiara was lying and crouched down.

'Hey,' she_whispered.

'Not_sleepy?' asked_Katya.

'No.'

'I_want_to talk to you about_something.'

Kiara sat up. 'What?' she_asked, trying_to straighten her tousled hair.

He looked around. 'Can_we_go outside?'

# _

# CHAPTER 16

The moon was shining brightly. They walked_towards the stone mine at the_center of the_gulag._In_the distance, they could_hear the Russian soldiers singing gleefully.

'They_seem happy,' said Kiara.

Katya nodded. They_walked to the edge of the mine_and looked into the circular depression._It was a steep drop_to the_black bottom.

Katya gathered his courage._'This is not_easy for_me to say...'

Kiara_waited.

'I love you,' he blurted out_finally.

'I know,' said_Kiara. 'And I love you.'

But she_didn't_seem very pleased._Katya_was_surprised.

He tried_to put his_feelings_into words._He_had rehearsed what he would say_to_her a thousand times and yet, when_the right moment finally_arrived,_as he stood next_to her, the words were_stuck in his throat. 'I... then_why...'

Kiara interrupted_him. 'It_doesn't matter what we feel for each other. It's not meant_to be. You know this.'

'Is it_Rob?'

'Yes.'

'But you once told_me you_don't_love him.'

'I don't_but_it doesn't_matter.'

Katya clasped his head. 'I still don't_understand.'

'Don't you_see?' asked Kiara. 'He is no_longer the person I_knew._The only thing that still keeps_him... sane... human... is me. If_I leave him, he won't_make_it._He'll see me with you_and it will drive him crazy._The Professor's whole_group will become more unpredictable. I know_what_is going on, Katya. They are_on_the verge of madness. I don't_want_your_family hurt.'