In response to the global pandemic of covid-19, Trevor Shelley and Luke Perez of Arizona State University embark on a reading of Albert Camus' novel, "The Plague," which tells the story of a fictional outbreak of bubonic plague in the North African city of Oran. In this episode, they discuss the first half of Part II, wherein old characters are re-introduced, and the residents of the town come to grips with the initial aftermath of plague. Residents respond to the lockdown of the city, and questions arise as to whether or not and what extent Oran is a genuine community, and if not, whether facing a common threat will help shape it into one. A prominent priest delivers a homily, and the narrator considers whether it had the intended effect.