Carl Silverman, and Amanda Worthington, both seventeen, dating, in love and loving their school life, have their world turned upside down when a virus—known as the Odoru (dancing) virus—spreads throughout their city of Routeville, Illinois, turning ninety percent of the population into zombies.

Only ten percent are immune, Carl and Amanda among them. Their parents became victims, and the young teens escape with the help of an older couple, Grover Plover and Genevieve Gray. They journey west and arrive in Placerville, California, where they set up camp as zombie slayers. Soon, their ranks swell as they meet Norm Barnett, another teen, and the Rodriguez triplets. Training begins, and the team of teens proves to be zombie killers supreme. While they have to contend with the usual results of the loss of modern technology—no internet, radio, or water power—they make do. They also have to contend with an incompetent city manager named Griffin who refuses to help.

Things get bad when the Rodriguez trio dies in a battle. Worse, a more intelligent zombie—King Zombie—emerges, leading the undead in disciplined attacks. Carl is consumed by vengeance, and he vows to find this king and end his unlife—before the undead overrun the populace.