It is the end of days. A nuclear strike hits New York. Alfie, a young black male, survives but with no memory of what has happened. The only thing he can remember with any clarity is how to play his guitar and a few snatches of old blues and folk songs. Another survivor, Meg, has taken refuge in the hills of Vermont, and she too is the victim of near absolute amnesia. Her only hope is to survive these darkest of days. Across the country, a prophet called John is reveling in the fallout of chaos that accompanies the strike and is calling for Judgment Day against sinners, all while civilization burns around him.

This is the final battle. Alfie and Meg don't know it, but they have a grim destiny. They must stand together and defeat the Great Beast with only their faith to shield them. Can they build a New Jerusalem from the ruins of the White House?