By June 25, information about the plague is beginning to leak into newspapers, television, and radio stations across the country. The military makes a vain attempt to control the flow of information by blowing up broadcast sources. People begin to flee cities, and students riot on college campuses. Eventually, the military loses control of its own personnel, and they begin to slaughter one another. Despite the government’s attempt to restore order, American society has begun to break down. “Graffito written on the front of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta in red spray paint: ‘Dear Jesus. I will see you soon. Your friend, America. PS. I hope you will still have some vacancies by the end of the week.’” (274).

Larry is sitting at the New York zoo, morosely watching the animals die from neglect as the city crumbles around him. He thinks back to his earlier years, regretting a lost love and a lost friendship. His mother died three days earlier, yet Larry is showing no plague symptoms at all. While at the zoo, he meets a wealthy woman named Rita Blakemoor, who is also showing no symptoms of the disease. The two strike up a conversation and then wander over to an abandoned restaurant where Larry cooks dinner for them both.