How It Did Work

THE PEOPLE ON THE north side of the Wall barely ever talked to the people on the south side of the Wall.

That was just how it was.

I mean—there was a literal wall between them.

Oscar himself had only been north of the Wall a few times: when he was a toddler, when he was eight, and when he was nine. He loved everything about it—the bustle and excitement of Central Market, the skyline of Commerce City to the northeast, the fancy stone-paved roads that led to the west, to Roan Piers.

And because the guards rarely let the people of the Toe through the Wall, it was highly unlikely that Oscar would ever get to visit Saige.

And certainly not with any sort of regularity.

But of course he said he would, if only to stop her from crying.

If only to make the sick, aching feeling in the pit of his stomach ease up a bit.

He promised they would see each other all the time.

But his fingers were crossed behind his back.