There is a scene in Salvation that many people ask me about, having to do with a possum and a buzzard. I don’t want to give too much away if you haven’t read it, but the behaviors I describe are based on things those animals actually do. The buzzard factoid is really specific to turkey vultures and somewhat exaggerated in the book. Turkey vultures keep a store of semi-digested carrion in a special pouch, which they can use as a defense my vomiting upon whatever unlucky entity happens to offend them.
Like Old Tom in my book, I really do think that possums are naturally evil creatures, as evidenced here. The possum incident in the book is based on a similar tale told to me by one of my college friends in Mississippi.
M. David Hornbuckle 
no, you’re wrong. possums are cute.
They can be both cute and evil.