Cold

The cold had worked its way up into her ribcage, causing her to shiver.

In the middle of a fierce winter storm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Norman Hass walks away from a prison work detail.  The guards joke that no one survives running away. If the wolves and bear don't get him the cold and snow will.  They usually don't even look for runaways.  They just wait a few days and the prisoner returns or they will eventually find his body.

Norman is determined to find his girlfriend, so he starts out across the state.  He will let nothing stand in his way.  The trip is treacherous and none of the people are really what they seem. His only hope of survival is Sheriff Del Maki of Yellow Dog township.