Plot
The Taylors - an African American family comprising Helen (an MD), Greg (an academic), teen daughter Zoe, recently born Mia and pre-teen adopted son Kai - have just moved to a spacious home in a rural area, miles from any city.
Their situation is soon up-ended. The economy collapses, there are food shortages, schools close, and there is looting and general chaos. The country comes under martial law.
While shopping at the empty-shelved local market, Helen helps a scared young pregnant woman to pick some medical supplies. Later, an armed boy shows up asking for Helen. The boy, Matty, his father Winter and the market woman Amber live next door. They need Helen's help because Amber is bleeding.
Matty takes Helen and Greg to an underground fortified bunker. There, a resistant Winter lets Helen examine Amber.
After their home is looted, the Taylors seek shelter with Winter in his bunker. He reluctantly lets them stay as Amber may need Helen when she gives birth.
In this confined environment, arguing between Winter and the Taylors soon starts. Kai is found taking stored food and Winter points out it won't last with more mouths to feed - it needs to stay in expiration date order. To make Greg useful, he shows him how to make bullets and gets Greg to fire a gun.
in the night, men attack the bunker and Winter and Greg defend the camp. Meantime, Amber's baby is born, but Amber struggles to breastfeed, so that is asked of Helen.
Winter finds a gun that Greg had concealed from everyone after he killed one of the intruders. Greg is confronted by Winter, leading to a fight. Winter banishes Greg and Kai from the bunker for not contributing.
Greg and Kai go to their old house where Greg gathers together various materials. Next day they return and attempt to get their family released from the bunker by smoking the bunker ventilation. Winter leaves the bunker locking the rest inside, telling them to stay in the bedrooms. They don't. Matty looks for the spare key but Kai took it earlier from a false tin of food. However, he placed it in the book of Daniel in the Bible and it falls out.
Everyone escapes and Helen takes Amber and baby Daniel hostage with a rifle to force Winter to take his gun off Greg. Kai, who has not ever spoken, shouts 'Dad!' And Greg throws a pan of molten bullets at Winter, splashing him in one eye.
Later, another family arrive at the gates as Kai narrates. He mentions the pecking order he mentioned at the start of the story. A new pecking order can be established after conflict, and the new leader might be a surprise. We see Helen approach the gate with the two men behind her.
