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by Robin Fuller (Editor), Jasmin Natale (Illustrator), A. L. Willingham (Author)
In a society banned together by fear lies Bliss Creek, the perfect example of what can be accomplished if everyone simply complies with the social contract, the details of which are dictated by people they cannot see, who were elected by votes they did not cast, and all the questions these issues raise remain unasked. The fear stems from attacks that are constant and always on the outside of the walls, where the zoneless meet their fate for all to see on the never-ending news broadcasts. The area protected by Branch's army, called the Zones, is an ever-changing expanse depending on the cooperation provided by the people within. Bliss Creek is in the center of Zone 8, claimed to be the safest of all the Zones, or, perhaps, the most cooperative.
Iz is a 17-year-old girl who wakes up in a hospital bed just outside of Bliss Creek, completely void of any memories. Making her way home and into her life, she has a constant wariness following her. In her home, there is no evidence of her having ever lived there, no pictures, no notes, no nick knacks. While her parents dote on her, and appear to love her, she continues to be haunted by the scraps of hidden clues she finds in her house, and in the dark recesses of her mind, indicating that things are not as they seem. These niggling little remnants of the past coupled with the strangeness of life in Bliss Creek make it difficult for Iz to accept the status quo.
The choice to pursue a seemingly fruitless search into who she once was, where she came from, and why life in this sleepy little zone appears so inauthentic, or to simply continue in the safe, quiet existence she currently leads, is a constant internal battle for Iz. Will she decide to pursue the truth as to who she really is, or quietly live out her days as the person they all want her to be?
