The glue that binds us together is coming apart...
In the aftermath of the Great Relocation the world has changed and people must live their lives in almost total isolation. A Network connector provides the only means of interacting with one another. At first it seemed a wondrous device, creating virtual worlds at the touch of a button, but then they discovered it had a defect. It made people sick. While they were on it, any form of physical contact made them nauseous and the more they used it, the worse it got until, one by one, they began to disappear.
It became known as Network Allodynia. Initially, just a few of them suffered its worst effects, but more soon followed. Amongst them was Luke. His need for company meant he could not give up the Network, despite knowing each trip hastened his slide into oblivion.
Now in the final throes of the 'disease', his only hope lies in finding a cure. It forces him to leave the security of his home and enter the darkest recesses of a strange and fragmented society, where he will become a target for those who stand in its shadows.