contain their excitement upon arriving as the new teachers in a Yup'ik village on the windswept Alaskan tundra. Lured north in search of adventure, the couple hope to immerse themselves in the ancient Arctic culture. But their move proves disastrous when a deadly epidemic strikes and the isolated community descends into total chaos. When outside help fails to arrive, John's only hope lies in escaping the snow covered tundra and the hunger of the other survivors by making the thousand-mile trek across the Alaskan wilderness for help. Along the way, he encounters a blind Yup'ik girl and an elderly woman who need his protection as badly as he needs their knowledge of the terrain and their companionship to survive. And as the harsh journey and constant danger push him beyond his limits, John discovers a new sense of hope and the possibility of loving again.