In 1978, a serial child killer masquerading as an animator from children's parties is announced in Northern Colorado. So five children disappear in turn, after which 13-year-old Finney Shaw, a shy but smart boy who lives with an alcoholic father and sister Gwen, becomes the victim of the kidnapper. Finnie wakes up in a soundproof basement, in which the most noteworthy piece of furniture is an antique black telephone on the wall. Although the kidnapper tells Finnie that the phone is disconnected, very soon the phone rings and, to his horror, Finnie hears the voices of the previous five victims on the other end of the wire. However, communicating with them, Finney learns that during his lifetime they all managed to leave him various loopholes that can help him get out and escape.

At the same time, Gwen discovers that she got the gift of clairvoyance from her late mother: first she has a dream in which she sees her brother's abduction, and then she begins to see the abducted five children, who similarly give her various podsk