For many generations they lived underground and watched on the wall screens as the world outside became more and more foggy, more and more blurry. The only way to get the picture back to clarity is to go outside and clean the camera lenses. But going out to clean up is the same as going to death. That's why they established a strict law, a cruel custom: everyone who expresses a desire to come out will get what he wants. Sheriff Holston, after many years of serving the law, breaks it himself. Hugh Howie, the author of this short novel, never even dreamed that it would become so popular. But it took on a life of its own, and readers demanded a continuation. Four sequels followed, each longer than the previous one - the last, fifth, is no longer a short story, but a story, has 250 pages in the printed version.

From the translator: I express my deep gratitude to justserge for the wonderful cover and the constant desire to come to the rescue.