The Valley, 1989
The Valley (Page 15)
by William Burroughs
was not directly contagious, but resulted from some substance in the corn or in the soil upon which it was grown. But the substances defied isolation.
Finally the Valley people were released, and a press conference was held. The Soarers took over the conference, recounting the legend of the Dragonfly Esperanza. The question as to how they got into the Valley was a subject for endless conjecture and speculation: the Valley had been sealed off by an earthquake and a landslide – the Valley people were survivors of a wrecked spacecraft – they or their ancestors had entered the Valley by rope ladders, which pulled loose from their moorings.
The Corners formed a rock group called "Glowing Corn" and became fabulously wealthy. When they stopped eating the contaminated corn the disease was arrested. They resorted to plastic surgery. The