While searching for a "cure all" serum, Dr. Edward Kanopolus, "Dr. K", is being pressured for results by the pharmaceutical company funding the project. With time running out, tragedy and desperation drive him to make decisions that will jeopardize the lives of everyone around him and ultimately unleash a terrifying monster on a killing spree.

Bright and independent 12-year-old Summer Larsen rescues a sweet, stray dog and will stop at nothing to save him. And it's her determination that ultimately impacts those around her.

In present-day Texas, Maya and her on again, off again girlfriend Jules total their car after a night of backwoods raving and teen mischief. They're rescued from the wreckage by Freddy, an oil worker whose stoic facade crumbles as he comes to see himself, and his repressed desires, in Maya. As Jules recovers, Maya and Freddy develop a rapport that dulls the debilitating silence of their small-town lives. Together, they subtly encourage one another to chase after what they want the most (or at least figure out what that might be).