In November 1963, Loomis, a psychiatrist at the Smith's Grove sanitarium, receives the six-year-old Michael Audrey Myers under his care. For an initial six-month-period, Loomis is charged with spending four hours each day in therapy sessions with his patient. The mute and emotionless boy had murdered his sixteen-year-old sister Judith Myers on Halloween night. Loomis is determined to find out what would cause a boy his age to commit such deadly violence.

On May 1, 1964, Dr. Loomis meets with two superior doctors in the sanitarium's forum chamber. Loomis suggests that his patient be confined in a maximum-security ward located at Litchfield, Illinois. The two doctors brush off Loomis' request declaring that Michael was merely "a catatonic" exhibiting "comatose behavior" who does not react to any of his surroundings. Loomis insists he be taken seriously because he is convinced that his patient's blank behavior is an ingenious cover for his true nature. He also feels that the level of security at Smith's Grove is insufficient. He pleads that Michael be moved immediately to a maximum security facility and preclude him any future opportunity for legalized freedom. The Smith's Grove superiors decline the doctor's requests and issue an ultimatum that Loomis keep Michael as his patient or he will be looked after by someone else. Loomis knows to his core that no one else can be trusted or even safe around Michael, so he agrees.

For the first eight years of Michael's psychiatric care and treatment, Loomis tries to get any form of response out of him. He finally convinces himself that Michael is truly evil. So, for the following seven years, he tries to keep him in total incarceration