Emily Prudhomme is terrified of her stepfather, and for good reason. A man who was raised by an abusive father and uncle, he is convinced that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is talking to him personally through a radio he keeps in his office. Emily, alienated by her stepfather’s bizarre behavior, is befriended by Glorious, an African-American girl with beautiful amber-colored eyes and the ability to see the thoughts of others. Outcast because of their differences, the girls become fast friends. When a tragic accident occurs on the banks of the Little Missouri river leaving one girl dead and the other hopelessly maimed for life, rage and revenge creates a firestorm that not only destroys a town but the lives of two families.

Upon being found guilty of Glorious' death, Chet Fikes had a choice: he could go to prison or he could go to Vietnam. Marc, Glorious' brother, is not going to let the judgment rest. He joins the Marines in an effort to find Chet and do what the Arkansas justice system failed to do. When Marc finds Chet cowering in a bombed-out bunker, Marc can't believe his good fortune. However, luck runs out on both men and their platoon when the sun sets at mid-morning and it begins to snow.