The Black Hills

Two swimmers. Two states. One destination.

November 2025.
Emily touches the wall at State. 2nd place. Her dad cries in the stands.
She doesn't know that's the last normal moment she'll ever have.

March 2026.
Tanisha stands on the podium. Silver medal. She texts her dad "Love you."
She doesn't know the world is already changing.

June 2026.
The infected run. They don't walk. They don't moan. They sprint.
Twelve seconds after a bite, you're not human anymore.

The world falls. New communities and networks are established. And deep in the Black Hills, a sanctuary awaits.

Emily runs north with her little brother and her swim team. Tanisha runs west with her cousin and her best friend. They encounter survivors along the way who become their allies.

They never meet.
But they're both heading to the same dark hills.

No romance. No heroes. Just swimmers.
They hold their breath. They calculate their odds. They survive.