1996 A journalist from a regional newspaper comes to a northern village to write about the mysterious disappearance of a schoolgirl, and discovers a whole world - with its own world grievances, world wars and not at all peaceful tales. Here, in real Russia, everything is inside out: the word satisfies like an apple, houses catch fire from dreams, and the dead come out of the fire to take revenge on their offenders. An editorial assignment turns into a hunt, and the newspaperman no longer knows who he is - a criminal, a victim or a storyteller.