A mysterious time jump occurs when the East Cumberland High School NJROTC program's plane crashes on the outskirts of Central Pennsylvania. The teenagers awaken to a zombie apocalypse and soon learn that the world they knew has ended. After months of adjusting to new ways of survival, their sergeant, Morgan Rogers, sends a group to the city, hoping to find a refugee center or a possible answer to why the world collapsed within six months of disappearing.
In NJROTC, you have to earn your place. You're held to a higher standard. It teaches discipline-perfect for straightening out teenage girls like Mj Bui and her childhood best friend, Mar a Col n. Mj was closed off and didn't talk much, but she grew to be a remarkable cadet in the program. She saw this as a fresh start, a chance to move on from her ruthless ways, but occasionally, her old habits made it difficult. After working hard and continuously fighting for respect, she wonders if she will ever completely win them over. In this part of BEYOND THE LIVING, the other cadets give Mj a hard time. She begins to reflect on her life and how much she took for granted. Do they believe she has it in her to survive, or will she leave and search for someone who will?