Things might turn ugly.

But the other tribe members seemed happy at having strong walls and armed men around them. It gave them a sense of protection after the months of living in the open, where danger had been their constant companion. There were large empty sheds everywhere in sight. Katya realized that it was in these sheds that prisoners were housed a long time ago. There was a sense of despair and horror to the place, even after all these years. He had heard about the camps. During the Soviet times, many of the Neneks had been forced to go into these camps to produce for the State. Their nomadic lifestyle had been brought to a halt.

In the center of the gulag was a stone mine. Katya sawthe door. Katya tried to smash it with his spear. The dogs inside the shed started barking. The Russians soldiers had stopped singing. He could hear raised voices coming from their shed. He knew he had to hurry.

'Is it you, Katya?' asked Ukik from inside the shed.

'Yes,' said Katya. 'I can't break the lock.'

'Listen, escape from here!' said Ukik urgently.

'Not without everyone,' Katya protested, pounding the lock again and again.

'Katya, they want us alive to do their work for them,' said Arnaq. 'We'll be safe. Run!'

Kiara looked behind them. The Russians had lit torches and began to stream out of their shed. 'Hurry,' she said.

Katya looked at the lock. It would not break with the spear. There had to be another way. He felt the hinges of the