Set in the rural foothills of North Carolina, it tells of a self-destructive man who struggles to find redemption. Zebulon Pike, is the leader of a group of petty thugs who have gotten involved in something they are not equipped to handle, but the real problem with Zebulon is the guilt he suffers over his injured wife. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Zebulon's problems might be closer to a resolution than he at first realizes.