“This country is called the Borderlands, though,” he said. “And the Border means the giant magic wall?” Surfer Dude nodded and smiled his happy smile. “Yes.” “And humans came from across the Border,” Elliot said. “Did we invade?” He leaned forward. “Tell me right now, are we engaged in a system of colonial oppression?” The boy’s happy smile melted away, like ice-cream in relentless verbal sunshine. “I don’t know . . .,” said Surfer Dude helplessly, “what most of the words you just used mean.”
