Between Shades of Gray

In mid-November, Mrs. Rimas receives a letter and everyone gathers in her shack to listen to the news it brings. Andrius comes as well; he squeezes in next to Lina and brings stolen crackers for everyone. Stuck in such close quarters, Lina and Andrius talk, and then Mrs. Rimas reads the letter, while Lina sneaks glances at Andrius and notices how well he looks. The author of the letter cites Psalm 102, so Jonas gets his mother’s Bible and they read the Psalm, which is about grief and suffering.  

A week later, Jonas falls ill. Miss Grybas tells Lina about it while she’s at work, but Kretzsky will not allow her to leave early, and by the time she gets home, Jonas is unconscious. Lina goes to get their bread rations, but they will only give her two portions because Jonas did not go to work. The bald man and Ulyushka think that Jonas has something contagious, but the gray-haired man identifies it as scurvy. Elena runs out to beg people for help while Lina stays with her brother, placing the stone that Andrius gave her under his hand. She tells him stories and prays and then begins to draw his room at home. Andrius arrives with a can of tomatoes that he pours into Jonas’ mouth.