I Am Legend

Neville drags a reluctant Ruth to his house; she falls asleep in his bed. He watches her sleep and reflects on his reaction to her sudden appearance. For as much as he’s fantasied about female companionship, he finds that he does not trust Ruth nor is he sexually attracted to her, as her slim figure is “not at all like the woman he’d used to envision” (118). Neville also notices she is wearing a small cross around her neck.

When Ruth wakes up, Neville questions her. She claims her husband died a week ago and that she lost two children to the initial spread of vampiris; however, Neville thinks she only looks 20 years old. He’s visited her alleged town before, but never once noticed her. He tests Ruth by shoving garlic in her face; she vomits from the smell and fears she has been infected with vampiris. Neville has since learned that the allyl sulfide in garlic is an allergen to the bacteria. Ruth explains the loopholes in her story and aversion to garlic by claiming she is sick from grief and overexertion. Neville pours Ruth a glass of whiskey and tells her to stay in the house for safety.

Over dinner, Neville continues to question Ruth, suspicious of her unwillingness to share how she’s survived for so long. He also considers Ruth romantically, disappointed that he feels no sexual attraction for her. Still, he believes that if they had met earlier, “he might have violated her” (124).

Neville answers Ruth’s questions about the nature of the Undead despite his distrust. He explains that their fear of the cross is entirely psychological, as he tested this on Ben Cortman, a Jewish man; holding the Torah before the man had caused him to rage. The Undead also heal instantly, preventing exposure to air which would otherwise kill the vampiris in their bodies. Neville believes his own immunity is the result of having been bitten by a (potentially infected) vampire bat when stationed in Panama.

Ruth listens to Neville’s explanations, then questions if they give him the right to exterminate the Undead and the infected indiscriminately.

Neville sleeps on the couch that night, suddenly waking to find Ruth looking through his peephole at the Undead outside. He mistakes her for Virginia, then quickly becomes suspicious of her again. However, he desperately doesn’t want to be alone again. Neville tells Ruth about the night Virginia returned from the grave and tried to drink his blood. He was forced to stake her chest, then sealed her in a coffin in the cemetery's crypt.

Neville and Ruth embrace; he promises to save her, even if she is infected. He then asks for a sample of her blood to check under his microscope. Ruth is hesitant, but eventually offers some blood. As Neville prepares the slide, Ruth hits him over the head with a mallet, knocking him unconscious.

Neville wakes the next morning to an empty house. He finds a note from Ruth that explains she is infected and acts as a spy for a group of infected who are establishing a new society. She reveals that the group plans to come for Neville, and that he must leave. This group’s vampiris has evolved to withstand sunlight; the members take pills of defibrinated blood to keep themselves alive without human victims.

Ruth implores Neville to save himself because she allegedly loves him. Neville feels betrayed, as “she had lied and smiled and feigned hopeless acceptance” (145) to get information on him.