One child is chosen from the population to serve as a sacrifice that will allow the rest of the city to live in peace and plenty. The child is placed in a small, windowless room without any amenities and is completely cut off from the rest of society except for the short visits from those who come to view the child.

When they learn of the child’s existence, the people of Omelas battle with the knowledge of The child, who suffers for them, and the guilt they feel as a result of their knowledge. However, most of them eventually overcome their guilt. They live fully, celebrate life, and work to achieve beauty and greatness in an effort to justify the sacrifice of The child. They are no longer capable of true happiness after they learn about The child, but they are capable of contentment.

There are some people who leave the city. Some leave when they first learn of the child’s existence and some leave after a long battle with their guilt. But they all leave on solitary journeys as they make their way through the city and the surrounding fields and out into the unknown. These people disappear and never return. Their fate and their paths are unknown.