Content Warning: This section contains descriptions of child physical and sexual abuse and neglect and mentions death of a parent.

The story begins with the phone call to the police that marked the start of 13-year-old Branwell Zamborska’s silence. The family au pair, Vivian, screams at him to tell the police what happened, but he says nothing. Vivian called 911 when she found Branwell’s sister, Nikki, barely breathing and unconscious. She claims to have dozed off on the job, leaving Branwell and Nikki unsupervised. She awoke to Branwell frantically calling her and found Nikki already unconscious, with Branwell shaking her in an attempt to wake her up. Branwell refused to speak afterward, so Vivian guessed that he must have dropped Nikki. Nikki had to have a hole drilled into her skull to relieve cranial pressure and is now in a coma; there is no way of knowing whether she will wake up or not. Branwell was taken to “the Clarion County Juvenile Behavioral Center” and has continued to maintain total silence (5).

Branwell’s father, Dr. Zamborska (or Dr. Z), thought it would help if Connor Kane, Branwell’s closest friend, could visit Branwell and try to help him open up about what happened.