Summary

When the novel begins, Maddie is alone in her town where she has been surviving for the past three years with nobody but a large rottweiler for company. She explains to readers that while it may seem as though she is being dramatic, her experiences are true. She always imagined being a teenager would mean getting her driver’s permit, going to school dances, and playing soccer with her friends. Instead, she is constantly searching for food, fuel, and water until her parents come back.

Maddie flashes back to before her family left her alone, calling it a heaven she was unaware of at the time. Her mother was strict about keeping the house clean, constantly reminding Maddie to take her shoes off before coming in after school. Her parents were divorced and Maddie’s mother’s frequent reminders that she and her ex-husband...