Kate and Lydia awaken one morning to discover that the five-year drought has hit a new low - their entire town is without water. Yet at the nearby Ryce Estate, a mysterious fountain continues to flow. Civility collapses and battles rage between ragtag armies. Kate and Lydia seek shelter at the Ryce Estate with the young owner, Robert Ryce, recently returned from Europe after the death of his father. Remnants of a travelling circus, led by their thirsty elephants, find shelter at the Ryce Estate. Lydia, a lover of all men, flirts with the three foul-mouthed midgets. Kate, who is attracted to full-size men, has developed an interest in Robert. Eventually Robert and Kate fall in love. But these are dangerous times for love, and Robert must get Kate to Nova Scotia before she dies from an infected wound. Enemies are all around and violence dominates the landscape as the two make a desperate trek north.