In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, Ayana tries to learn to survive, but seems to only fail miserably. Through sorrow and triumph, she realizes that the world isn't all about life and death. "Ten years have passed since that terrifying day, yet it seems like only yesterday. Night brings the memories, piercing me like an arrow. Most would think of me as paranoid, but it only takes a day for most to go crazy in this hell of a world. The lucky ones are only haunted by guilt or shame. Even though the first day may have been the most terrifying, the ones that were to follow were even more filled with bloodshed and loss. One by one my loved ones fell dead before me. First my mother, then my father, even those I didn’t like but would rather be kept alive. The cold grip of death will catch up to us all someday. My name is Ayana Wilder, and this is the story of how I survive."