Phase One: Identify - Territory of the Dead, #1

The world as I know it is over... When I went to work that afternoon I never imagined that everyone around me would die. But that's exactly what happened. My small town of Pleasant, LA is now a dead zone, and I'm only one of a few survivors. The streets are littered with the dead, but they don't remain down for long. We manage to find a few more survivors, including my old crush and next-door neighbor, Jayden.
It's not enough. But out of the darkness, Kellan comes. And in the glare of his headlights, I realize we might just have a chance. A chance to make it out of the zombie horde. A chance to live some semblance of a normal life. A chance to love... Book One in the Territory of the Dead Series. This is a dystopian young adult paranormal romance series without graphic love scenes (clean romance). Read on for more!  A letter found on the clear glass case of the only gun shop in Pleasant, LA: Hello, My name is Tabitha Alexanders.
Congratulations. If you're reading this letter, you're one of the few survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Take care, or you won't last for long. I'm 18, and I just graduated this year. I didn't get to enjoy it, though. I was working at the grocery store as a checkout girl when the first body slammed against the clear glass. I'll never forget the fear that washed over me at the sight of his red, hungry eyes.
That night marked the loss of my innocence... and my freedom. Now my life is something different. No longer can we take the basic things like safety and food for granted, not to mention our lives. The zombies destroyed our entire town that first night, including the family of the college guy I had a crush on in the past. We were able to save him, but he's not the same. He's different but so am I. Our numbers are extremely small.
A new group of survivors is emerging in this nightmarish world, and we aren't afraid to fight dirty if it ensures our survival. We had to leave Pleasant to save our lives. We barely made it out alive. These zombies are entirely different than the way I'd always seen them on television. They are fast, preternaturally strong, and even aware. They used that awareness to discover our small group hidden in my home.
If it wasn't for Kellan, we'd be dead right now, wandering the streets of Pleasant. Kellan is something completely different than any man I've ever seen before. He's too powerful and too controlled to ever be anything like the average male. I can't explain him, but I'm glad he's on our side. Heaven help us all if he ever decides we're not worth the effort. He's taken us to his home outside of town if the massive fortress can be considered that.
It's large enough for many more, self-sustaining should we be forced to remain behind the high fence for good. There's something strange about the way he was so prepared for the zombie apocalypse, but it's not my place to question it. I've learned that Kellan doesn't enjoy questions, and he doesn't want anybody getting too close. I'm leaving a handwritten map here in the hopes there is still someone alive in this town to find it.
God, I hope you are. It feels like we're the only ones left, and it's horrifying... Tabitha Alexander