A pale, overweight boy named Robin who is bullied at school sets off through the snow in ten degree weather, imagining rescuing his crush from imaginary creatures. He comes across a coat and sees an old man walking up the hill by the lake without his coat. Determined to save someone, Robin picks up the coat and chases after him. The man's name is Don Eber and he intends to freeze to death. He left the coat as a clue for his family to follow. Eber remembers how his step-father, Allen, became mean and a burden as he suffered at the end of his life. Eber has a brain tumor and doesn't want to become what Allen became. He feels conflicted about not having said goodbye to his family. Robin realizes to catch up to Eber, he'll have to cut across the lake. The ice breaks, and he falls into the water. Eber lies down, prepared to die, then sees Robin flailing around in the lake. He sets out to save Robin. Once Robin is on shore, Eber gives him his clothes, since Robin's clothes are frozen. When Robin comes to his senses he runs home, leaving Eber behind. Realizing he left Eber, he feels conflicted whether to go back himself or get his mother. Eber doesn't want to die anymore. He begins to hallucinate, then Robin's mom finds him and takes him to their home, where she calls an ambulance and his wife. Eber thinks about a day when Allen, in his illness, felt like himself again, and thinks he'll be that for his kids. His wife arrives and walks to him, face etched with concern.