Rachel and her mother, Vivian, have lived on The Property as long as she can recall. Vivian works for Ms. Moore, who owns The Property and runs a greenhouse in which she grows orchids. The Property is very quiet and secluded, but it is located adjacent to the infamous Line — a border protection system which separates the U.S. from Away. To stop an approaching foreign enemy, the U.S. had activated the Line without warning, trapping many U.S. citizens in Away. Then, Away was blasted with atomic bombs. The Line is always on to keep Others from crossing the border. Anyone who speaks out against the government and/or the Line is considered a traitor, and almost everyone lives in fear of the oppressive government.