As fall arrives in the north Canadian woods, Brian Robeson counts the days since the plane crash that left him stranded in the wilderness: 68. For months, he’s been living on his own, surviving in the woods. After the first two months, he found a survival pack in the plane wreckage, which made his situation easier in some ways, but harder in others. Although the tools and weapons were a godsend, the food rations “softened” him (6), making him miss the foods from his former life. When the rations ran out, Brian was relieved to finally shake his discontented hunger, and return to hunting for his food.

Now, as the summer flows into fall, Brian notices a change in the air. However, before he can register that cool weather coming, a problem with his rifle distracts him. The firing pin breaks beyond repair, so he must return to hunting with his bow and arrow, as he did before finding the survival pack. After practicing with the bow and arrow, he kills a rabbit and boils the meat to make a stew.

Brian stays busy each day with the tasks necessary for survival: gathering wood, checking his fishing lines, hunting, cleaning the meat, cooking the meat, and stretching the hide.