Paulie's a regular Canadian kid. He goes to school, he likes hockey. His friends tease him a little because his mom's kind of hot, but he gets by alright and in the winter they all sneak off to play hockey on the lake.

One night, the ice cracks and Paulie falls in.

He spends nine minutes underwater.

He drowns but doesn't die.

And when he comes to, his friends huddling over him, he realizes that he's fine except for a slight toothache and blurred memories of having experienced what he'll soon learn is called the Ninetieth Degree.

Paulie is special.

Being special can be dangerous.