In a dystopian America, Peter Krolik is part of a generation of children born ‘different.’ These children are born like predators. They have long dark nails; sharp, jagged teeth; course hair; and heightened strength and senses. After murdering both of his parents in a moment he does not remember, Peter is now traveling with Mr. Breeze on the highway somewhere near Wyoming. Mr. Breeze has a gun in his glove compartment for protection against other children who looking for people to hunt. Peter is slightly different than the others insofar as he can now control his urges and does not hurt Mr. Breeze.

Mr. Breeze pumps gas while Peter holds his hand. Peter sees a newspaper at the abandoned gas station from two years ago. They go to a motel where Mr. Breeze ties Peter up. Peter looks at his nails which have been filed down to the quick by Mr. Breeze and are now uncomfortable. The next morning, they wake up to a sound outside. Mr. Breeze goes to investigate. Peter is still tied up. He wonders what would happen to him if Mr. Breeze dies. Peter hears a firecracker echo. A few minutes later, Mr. Breeze returns and tells him that everything is fine.

Prior to this experience, Mr. Breeze kept Peter on a leash that would shock him if he was bad. Mr. Breeze did not want to treat Peter like this but felt it necessary due to the circumstances of Peter being born like a predator. Peter used to cry a lot, but not anymore. Mr. Breeze would wrap Peter up and sing to him and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

Back in the car, Mr. Breeze tells him they are halfway there. He explains that Peter will have his own room and bed, along with warm food and a school to attend. Mr. Breeze reveals to Peter that he had a son once. Peter had a hard time picturing Mr. Breeze with a family.

Peter scratches himself and does not stop when Mr. Breeze asks him, so Mr. Breeze hits him on the nose. They approach Laramie, Wyoming. There is a border with security all around it. The police stop Mr. Breeze. Mr. Breeze warns Peter not to run because the officers will kill him. They do not let Mr. Breeze through because they recognize Peter as one of the predatorial children.

Peter thinks about when he was like a real boy. He thinks back to when Mr. Breeze found him. He was able to read and write. Mr. Breeze had asked Peter where his parents were. Peter stops thinking about this moment as Mr. Breeze speeds away from the barricade.

Mr. Breeze asks Peter a slew of math questions. Peter answers them. Mr. Breeze says he cannot believe that Peter is not human. Mr. Breeze begins to talk about how children started becoming unlike their parents a few years earlier. He thinks, however, that occasionally, the children aren’t as different as they are believed to be.  

Peter remembers losing his first tooth. He remembers meeting Mr. Breeze. On their first encounter, Mr. Breeze asked Peter if he had hurt his parents. He also asked Peter if he loved his parents. As Mr. Breeze continues driving, Peter replays this memory in his head.

Peter falls asleep. When he wakes up, the pair are in a rest area. A boy leaps onto the car and pees on it. He leaps away. Mr. Breeze wakes up upset and reaches for his gun. Unnerved, Mr. Breeze drives them away. Mr. Breeze explains to Peter that he is special and that people in his line of work search for special children like Peter to rescue and relocate.

Peter continues thinking of meeting Mr. Breeze and all the questions he had asked them about his parents. Peter especially focuses on whether he loved his parents. Peter did not mean to kill his parents. He can’t often recall the memory of it happening or why it even happened.

Mr. Breeze interrupts Peter’s thoughts as he tells him that things will be better for him at his special school in Salt Lake. He makes a point of mentioning that there will be people to help him control his feelings.

They speed through a tunnel that is full of creatures. They hit one of them. They continue driving towards Little America, which is a gas station/motel complex. They are running low on fuel. As Peter can sense when there are other creatures around, Mr. Breeze asks if Peter will tell him whether the place is safe or not. Peter says he will.

At the gas station, Little America, Peter tells Mr. breeze that there are likely over one hundred creatures around. He says they will come very fast if Mr. Breeze gets out to pump gas. Mr. Breeze hands Peter the gun and asks if he can protect him if they come. Peter does not answer. He is thinking about how his mom had told him that she loved him. He wonders if Mr. Breeze loves him. He wonders if Mr. Breeze killed his son. He wonders if Mr. Breeze would kill him.

He expects the answers to be yes.

He wanted to ask about his son. He thinks these thoughts as Mr. Breeze gets out of the car. Peter can feel the creatures lurking. He knows they will converge upon Mr. Breeze so fast that he won’t be able to cry for help. He thinks he wants to tell Mr. Breeze something but there is no time.

He thinks about telling his mom that he wanted to be a good boy.