Matt Wilson isn't thrilled about moving to a new town with his new family. While his stepfather and stepsister are friendly enough, he's constantly reminded they're not his real family. The rumors he hears about the town don't help, either. The rumors about strange things happening, people going missing, and even the house he moves into being previously inhabited by the founders of the town. Then he finds a secret staircase in his room that leads to the dark, abandoned attic. He can't seem to find the window, which blocks out all the light, but when he realizes what's inside, he realizes that at least a few of the rumors were right.