CXI

"Kiev, what are you doing there at the side? Come here." She beckoned the boy to swim to her side of the natural pool with its fresh flowing water. She splashed some water to encourage him to swim to her.

But the boy declined to get into deeper water, shaking his head no. She was slightly surprised by his action. His smiling face shifted into a frown as if he was sad about something.

"What is wrong?" She shouted over the water, seeing the change in him. She remembered that he was the one that suggested this activity in the first place. Why was he suddenly unhappy?

She quickly swam back to his side to get to the bottom of the problem. The others did not seem to notice his dilemma. They were on the farther side of the pool, near the dropped off of the water. They could not have heard their conversation from the loud splashes of the water.