Summary

The narrator describes his walled city, torn apart by an unknown enemy over the wall. There are corpses littering the street, dead from cholera or poisoned from the meat thrown over by their attackers during the 16 month siege. The narrator relates that there are no more dogs as they have long ago been eaten by the starving population. He talks about how they have poisoned the well in preparation for the inevitable arrival of their enemy. The people of the city believe it is a miracle the city has lasted as long as it has but wonder why their enemy has not already come over the wall to claim victory. Various theories are posited one being that waiting is a form of torture in itself, that the enemy is using this as a weapon. The residents do not know where their enemy has...