The world as it had been ended in less than a day. An ancient evil that had been relegated to the most ancient of myths and legends has returned. The dead rose to consume the flesh of the living and only the lucky and the strong were able to survive the initial onslaught. Three groups of survivors must come together and unite against an army of the dead lead by a dark priest and his human followers who are looking to find the key to opening the barriers between worlds and turn the Earth into a true realm of the dead.

Liam Harrison is a former Special Forces soldier and current spook for the NSA. As the dead rise he races to warn his estranged family and save as many people sheltered at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as he can before the dead breach the barriers and turn the temporary refuge into an abattoir.

Kyle Carson was one of the directionless slackers that seemed to typify the current generation of young adults. When the dead rose he found himself trapped at his place of employment with friends and enemies alike. Even if he and his best friend manage to escape the tightening noose of the dead surrounding the store they will still need to locate those they love and find some place, any place that is safe from the dead.

Dr. Lisa Sutton survived two tours in the sands of Afghanistan only to return to a position at the University of Michigan ER just in time for the dead to rise. As command and control breaks down it is up to the reserve Army Captain to take command of the situation and prepare the survivors at the school for a long trek to safety in the states upper peninsula.

Sherriff David Marshall is usually only concerned with keeping the peace in the small town of White Harbor Michigan. But when the dead rise and the town is cut off from the state and federal governments, if they even still exist, David and the council of the town are saddled with protecting the people of the county from the dead? And the living.