Revolutions begin in Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria, which are Romania’s neighbors.

Bunu and Cristian await the fall of communism in Yugoslavia. Cristian writes in his notebook and wonders about the future of Romania. A few days later, he learns from Starfish that the well-known Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci is fleeing to the United States. Cristian wonders if Mr. Van Dorn may have helped her. He considers whether this means that the United States knows the truth about conditions in Romania.

Cristian continues to write in his notebook, detailing the truth about life in Romania and begging for help. He decides he must risk getting the notebook to Mr. Van Dorn and labels its author as “Anonymous.” He worries about the likely repercussions but is committed to taking action.