A generation of children are born without speech, without comprehension, without language entirely.

At first, they are just medical curiosities. But their numbers swell, and soon they grow into an established underclass, occupying squats and communes around the world. To some they are seen as a threat; to others, as a salvation. Some suspect they may have other abilities beyond our understanding.

The children cannot tell you their story. Instead we rely onThe Silent History, a collection of testimonies from those touched by the phenomenon. Parents, doctors, opportunist inventors, cult leaders, and vigilantes, recall what they have endured and what they have inflicted on others. They will take you from a recognisable present to a real and unsettling future. You will not want to look away.

Eli Horowitzis the former managing editor and publisher ofMcSweeney's. He is the co-author ofThe Clock Without a Face, a treasure-hunt mystery, andEverything You Know Is Pong, an illustrated cultural history of ping pong. His design work has been honoured by i-D,Printand the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

Matthew Derbyis a writer and designer and the author of the story collectionSuper Flat Times. His writing has appeared inMcSweeney's,The Believer,GuernicaandThe Anchor Book of New American Short Stories. He also works at a video game studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts. www.matthewderby.org

Kevin Moffettis the author of two highly praised story collections,Permanent VisitorsandFurther Interpretations of Real-Life Events. His work has appeared inMcSweeney's,Tin House,American Short Fiction, as well as in three editons ofThe Best American Short Stories. He is the winner of the Nelson Algren Award, a Pushcart Prize, and the National Magazine Award. He lives in California. www.kevinmoffett.org