Between Shades of Gray

by Ruta Sepetys

I pictured a rug being lifted and a huge Soviet broom sweeping us under it.

Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.

“Your signature? It’s a scribble. No one will recognize it’s your name.” I shrugged. “You will,” I said.

A wrongdoing doesn’t give us the right to do wrong.