LONG LOUD SILENCE

Corporal Gary ends a big binge in the contaminated Eastern part of the U.S., is unable to rejoin his unit, and makes his way from north to south and back again in the doomed area. Keeping himself alive, avoiding scavengers, trying to work out ways in which to steal into the healthy western half of the country, he is finally successful in crossing the Mississippi. He finds out that he is carrying the plague, escapes detection to live the lonely life, isolated from the diminishing survivors. A sober future-fantasy whose matter of fact grimness is effective.