The Last Lap

Sixteen-year-old Grace Hill has spent her life following the black line at the bottom of the pool. Between early morning practices, state championships, and a growing friendship with three girls she met through swimming-Rika, Zoey, and Wrianna-her world is small, structured, and safe.

Then the world ends.

A fast-moving virus sweeps across the country in the summer of 2026, turning the infected into something faster and more terrifying than anything Grace has ever faced. The military holds longer than anyone expected, carving out walled safe zones in cities like Manhattan and San Francisco. But Fairport, New York, is on its own.

Grace's training has prepared her for more than swim meets. Her endurance, her breath control, her ability to push through the burn-these are the things that keep her alive as she navigates the ruins of her hometown, searching for her family and for the three girls who became her anchors in a world that no longer exists.

This is not a story about how the world ended.

This is a story about four girls who refused to let it end them.