Eighteen-year-old Polly, the narrator, and Odd, who is a year younger and several degrees more impulsive, are the only survivors of a MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, also known as flesh-eating bacteria) outbreak in their town that killed its five other victims. They did not survive unscathed. Polly lost an eye, and her face is scarred. Odd lost his foot and is tortured by phantom pain. Polly and Odd had no connection before MRSA, but now that their former plans are obsolete, they have nothing but each other and a shared affection for trout fishing. The rest of their small Montana hometown is decidedly uncomfortable for the two who lived. So when Odd shows up in his grandmother's 1979 Cadillac D'Elegance, promising a day on the river, it's pretty clear that a remarkable journey is in store for the two of them.