This is about a young man, in his mid twenty, he is a loner and has a disability in in cannot concentrate on two things at the same time. He has become homeless after being fired and kicked out of his apartment. The story is set in a tourist town called Red River New Mexico. Peter Deck decides to rough it as a mountain man, using survivor tactics he learned through reading books. He finds a cave to set up camp in, but is bothered by invaders at the opposite side of the cave. Murder is committed and the local sheriff begins a search for him. Pete, this is what everyone calls him, is attacked by first a bear, and later by a wolf, but not all is against him, he is joined by a dog as his companion.