Valerie Rye, who goes by “Rye” for most of the story, is the protagonist. The narrative follows her on a trip from Los Angeles to Pasadena and describes her encounters along the way that ultimately derail the course of her journey. Rye is in emotional pain, as the illness has killed her husband, children, and other close family members. Left alone, she resolves to look for distant family in L.A., her only alternative to suicide.

In a world that lacks any semblance of order, Rye struggles with identifying a reason to live. At the story’s beginning, Rye’s purpose is to find her brother and two nephews. There is much uncertainty around this goal, as they are right-handed and likely severely impaired by the illness. In addition, men have fared worse in this pandemic. When she meets Obsidian, suddenly the prospect of their togetherness becomes her new reason to live, and she abandons the trip to her brother. But this is short-lived. When she meets the children who can speak, her new reason to live is to care for them. Rye’s constantly shifting purpose reflects the instability of the dystopian world she lives in and how difficult it is to rely on others when they are dead, at risk of dying, or trying to kill you.