As Neal navigates his anger and grief stemming from the loss of his only friend, his family must pull together to gather enough supplies to survive the deathly cold winter as the volcanic ash storms intensify. However, when a family appears on their doorsteps and offers engineering and medical expertise in exchange for food and shelter, Neal and his family's isolationist stance is challenged as they face a reckoning on how they will adapt to life in this changed world. In this follow-up to "What Comes After," Neal's daily journal entries reveal his struggle to maintain hope and trust in others, as the world becomes bleeker and more desolate. With the government toppled, looters and bandits armed with weapons roam the landscape unchallenged, but rumors of sanctuaries keep hopes of rebuilding society high. Neal and his family must navigate the balance between the security of isolation and the possibility of trust.  With no one left to save them, they must choose how they'll live with what remains here.  *** No fandom knowledge needed. All characters, settings, and conflicts are original.