Alice Isaacs bears the mark of the afflicted. Unlike the millions before her, she survives. Afraid she is a carrier of the disease, Alice abandons her family and disappears into what remains of the world. Bodies litter the streets. Cities lie in waste. The government ceases to exist. What the Withering doesn't destroy, the Clan kills, cleansing the world of those they hold responsible. Those like Alice.
Then one night Alice meets Brandon. He brings word of a rural town untouched by the sickness. He promises a future. He reminds her of what it means to feel... of what it means to love.
Yet the Clan is watching. They're always watching.