The world has torn itself to pieces. Only small enclaves of life remain, surrounded by the terrifying shadowland known as the Void. For humanity to survive, obedience comes first no matter the cost. Children born into the world must choose: do what they’re told—or refuse and be thrown over the line and into the black. Throwaway Scott Mitchell fears he will die in the wilderness without a single friend, hunted and alone. But when a mysterious girl rescues him, he finally understands that making a friend can mean trouble—the killing kind.