All driveways were empty. Nothing moved. But then Luke noticed something out of the corner of his eye behind one of the windows. A face. A child's face. In a house where there were already two boys. Luke is a shadow child, the third son of his parents in a society that only allows two children per family. The penalties for violating the population law are draconian: if Luke were discovered, he would face death. Thus, he is forced to hide. When the forest around his family's house must give way to a housing development, he is no longer allowed outside in the light. He spends his days alone in a dark attic room—until he spots the face of a girl in the window of the house across the street; and this, despite the fact that this family already has two boys. The encounter with Jen, who is also a shadow child, opens up a whole new world for Luke. Through the internet, Jen has connected with other third children and is planning a protest rally to demand that third children finally be granted the right to exist. Luke is impressed by Jen's determination and zest for life. For the first time in his life, he experiences what friendship is and begins to have hope for the future. But can a 12-year-old stand up to a totalitarian regime? Does such a revolt have even the slightest chance of success? Jen pressures Luke to participate in the risky action. However, he has been raised very differently than Jen; he lacks her self-confidence and cannot overcome his fears. But when Jen does not return from the demonstration, Luke makes a fateful decision...