The Desire to Live or Die

Horace Guilder is dying of an unnamed disease when the virals escape. He sees the virus as a means of prolonging his own life and escaping death. It's because of this selfish desire that he originally comes into contact with Lawrence Grey and keeps Lawrence chained up as "the Source" of the redeyes' food supply. It's not difficult for Guilder to talk others into joining him.

The opposite side of this desire for immortality is equally important in this book. The people who are turned into virals have less of a desire to live and actually embrace death. As Peter kills the large female viral in Tifty's compound, she thanks him for allowing her to die.

That's also the case with Lila Kyle and Lawrence Grey. Lawrence pleads with his captors to kill him but they continue to torture him and keep him...