Award-winning author Darren Groth presents an epic tale of a dog devoted to protecting the last member of his family, an intellectually disabled boy, as civilization collapses. In a world marked by isolation and scarcity, a tyrannical regime enforces its power, pitting neighbors against each other and suppressing dissent violently. The setting is the small Pacific Northwest town of Gilder, where Tao, a failed service dog, awakens to find his leash tied to the stairs, his leg broken, and his family slaughtered. With his world shattered, he contemplates waiting for the "hounds" to end his life. However, he encounters Kasper, a fifteen-year-old boy with a disability and the sole survivor of his family. Recognizing his duty, Tao resolves to guide Kasper through the devastated streets of Gilder to safety, aiming for the only refuge he can envision: the site of his training five years prior. This narrative explores themes of loss, loyalty, dissent, and ableism, posing a critical question of our time: when evil silences the people, who will protect those without a voice?
