Brutal, agonizing convulsions simultaneously strike a quarter of the Earth's population. There is no warning and no discernible pattern regarding race, age, gender, or region. The afflicted die within moments of one another. Seven minutes later they rise again and attack the living. The speed at which the disaster happens is too great for any organized response. Towns are overrun. The government and military find themselves unable to react. Civilization crumbles in a matter of hours.
By the end of the first day, the streets are filled with shambling corpses, mindless beings driven solely by the desire to feed. Jacob Thornton decides his only chance is to abandon his home. Fleeing the city, he travels north, encountering other survivors on the way. Together, they gather supplies, seek a place of safety, and discover through trial and error how to defend against the zombies. Yet, the creatures never stop moving, and they have begun to leave the population centers, spreading across th
Chapter XI - Following the destruction of the lake camp, the survivors discuss what to do. Some decide to depart, to seek safety elsewhere. Others join with Jacob and his friends. This lone, small community chooses to remain in the Nebraska National Forest.
Interlude - Dean's Story. Camping within the national forest on that first dreadful day, Dean speaks of his experiences and how he met the church group.
Chapter IX - Jacob and his group, along with some volunteers from the nearby lake camp, begin to construct a wood fence, the intention being to use this as a simple defense while building something more long term.
Chapter VIII - The group finishes their exploration of the Nebraska National Forest, selecting an isolated location in which to establish a permanent home.
Interlude - Susan and Timothy's Story. Susan and Timothy, two of the survivors who had been hiding in the Nebraska National Forest from the beginning, share what happened on the night of the change and their efforts in the days following.
Chapter VII - Jacob and Briana begin to explore the forest, something the survivors already in residence had been hesitant to do, and rescue a blind woman who had been hiding in her house since day one.