40 women who are locked in a cage that is patrolled by men with whips escape when the men run out after hearing a siren.
The main character is a child, and has no recollection of life before the cage. Outside is a grassy plain in all directions. The story follows the nameless main character through her life until she dies alone in a bunker she found still none the wiser about what’s happening. There’s a fair amount of hinting that it isn’t set on Earth.
It’s bleak, it’s poignant, I found it really drew me into its world and the character. I’m glad it never explained what happened since it would distract from what I assume is the point. What it means to be human, the distance we feel from other people and lack of understanding of other people’s perspectives.