Frank has read all the books about the end of the world . . . but books can't pull the trigger.

He's tried to keep the peace. He's tried to talk his way out of tight spots. And yet he still ended up with a body count fit for a warlord.

And it's only getting worse.

Frank's problem, and the problem of everyone on Clownfish Cove, is that words can't fill the stomachs of the hungry city around them. The area controlled by the neighborhood watch is the only place not tearing itself to shreds. It is the only place with food, fresh water, and a bit of hope. It is a little slice of the Old America, and jealous outsiders are desperately working together to get a last taste of it . . .

Frank has been able to keep his subdivision together for almost two weeks. Every challenge he's faced, every decision he's made, every ally or enemy created . . . will determine his fate and the fates of hundreds of his neighbors.