For generations, the people of the City of Ember have languished in a world of artificial lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing ... and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.

'Ember' is a Hungarian word which means 'man' and 'human' in English.

Loris Harrow:
[narrating] On the day the world ended, the fate of mankind was carried in a small metal box. In a secret location, architects, scientists and engineers met and concluded that there was only one hope for our future: to build an underground city designed to keep its citizens protected for generations to come. The box was entrusted to the first mayor, who was to pass it on to her successor. As the years counted down, the box passed from mayor to mayor. None knew what secrets it held, only that it would open when it was needed most. But fate ran another course, and the chain was broken. The box was tucked away and forgotten, and as the city grew old and began to crumble, the box quietly clicked open.

Continuity: When they reach the stairway at the end, light is streaming down from the doorway at the top. When they reach the doorway, it's closed and there's no source of light.