A boy named Carlos (Fernando Tielve) arrives at an orphanage, thinking that he will be staying there for a while, until his father returns from the Spanish Civil War. In the center of its courtyard, there is a bomb which was defused. Carlos sees a ghost of a boy in the kitchen doorway. When he goes in to investigate, he is distracted by two orphans, Galvez and Owl, whom he befriends. He shows them his toys and comics, until Jaime (Íñigo Garcés), an older orphan, steals one of them. Carlos starts to fight with him but is distracted by the sight of his tutor and his bodyguard driving away without him. Although he doesn't know it, his father is dead, and he will be staying in the orphanage indefinitely. Dr. Casares (Federico Luppi), the assistant administrator, sympathizes with him.
That night, in his bed, Carlos is distracted by noises, suggested to be
a ghost. The alleged ghost knocks over a pitcher of water, which wakes the rest of the orphans. Carlos and Jaime dare each other to go into the kitchen and refill the water pitchers. Carlos wanders down a spiral staircase, where he hears the ghost, who tells him cryptically that many will die. He runs away, but Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), a former orphan who now works at the orphanage, catches him.
The next day, Carlos doesn't reveal why he was out, which earns him Jaime's respect. Jaime offers him valuables in trade for the stolen comic book, to which Carlos refuses. When a long sigh is heard, an orphan mentions a ghost, and it is explained to Carlos that a boy named Santi (Junio Valverde) had disappeared on the same night the
bomb was dropped. Ever since then, there has been a ghost haunting the orphanage. Jaime acts as if he doesn't believe in the ghost. Another night, Carlos sneaks out to the courtyard. He approaches the bomb and asks it to show him the ghost. In response, a paper streamer on the bomb is caught by the wind and leads him to the ghost, but when the ghost touches him, he becomes scared, so he runs away. The ghost follows him into the main building, and Carlos locks himself in a closet, where he sleeps. Later when Carlos looks in Jaime's sketchbook and finds a picture of Santi, the ghost, he realizes that Jaime knows more than he's telling.
Jacinto has been in the orphanage for a long time, and despises the place. His girlfriend Conchita (Irene Visedo), (on whom Jaime has a crush) has plans with him to get married. He is aware of the existence of a stash of gold at the orphanage, and he uses sexual favors to steal keys from Carmen (Marisa Paredes), the head of the orphanage. Carmen loves Dr. Casares, though she is unwilling to acknowledge this. Dr. Casares is embarrassed by his impotence and it seems to inhibit his confidence relating to the physical aspect of his love. Jacinto is unsuccessful in stealing the right key to the safe.
On a trip to town, Dr. Casares witnesses Carlos' tutor and his bodyguard being executed by the army. Dr. Casares plans to lead the orphans away from the orphanage, because of the rapidly escalating war. Jacinto demands the gold but is forced to leave at gunpoint.
As the orphans and staff prepare to leave Conchita discovers Jacinto preparing to blow up the safe. She threatens him with a shotgun, he taunts her, and she accidentally shoots him in the shoulder. In the ensuing melee, Jacinto succeeds in burning much of the orphanage down before leaving. The explosion kills Carmen and many orphans, leaving many of the survivors badly wounded, including Dr. Casares. Dr. Casares promises the boys that he will never leave and takes up guard duty over the remains of the orphanage, waiting at the window with a shotgun for the return of Jacinto.
The night after
the explosion, Jaime tells Carlos that he was present when Santi was killed. They had been collecting slugs near the cistern, a sort of man-made pool of water in the cellar under the kitchen. Santi hears a noise and discovers Jacinto trying to break into the safe. Santi runs back into the cellar and Jacinto follows. Jacinto tries to threaten Santi; when they struggle, Jacinto slams him against the wall. Santi goes into shock from his head wound and Jacinto panics. He ties weights to Santi's body and hides him in the cistern. Jaime has witnessed all of this from his hiding place.
The second day after the explosion, Dr. Casares dies at his post, and Jacinto comes back looking for the gold. En route back to the orphanage with two co-conspirators he meets Conchita, walking to town for help. When she refuses to apologize to Jacinto for shooting him, he stabs and kills her.
Jacinto and his friends imprison the orphans and then set about looking for the gold. His friends soon grow impatient and leave him, but he eventu
ally finds it. Meanwhile, the orphans realize they'll be killed once Jacinto finds the gold. They sharpen sticks with shards of glass and escape their prison, with the aid of the ghost of Dr. Casares. Luring Jacinto into the cellar, they stab him and push him into the same pool of water Santi was drowned in. Weighted down by the gold and dragged down by the ghost of Santi, Jacinto also drowns. The surviving orphans leave, being watched by the ghost of Dr. Casares.
That night, in his bed, Carlos is distracted by noises, suggested to be
a ghost. The alleged ghost knocks over a pitcher of water, which wakes the rest of the orphans. Carlos and Jaime dare each other to go into the kitchen and refill the water pitchers. Carlos wanders down a spiral staircase, where he hears the ghost, who tells him cryptically that many will die. He runs away, but Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), a former orphan who now works at the orphanage, catches him.The next day, Carlos doesn't reveal why he was out, which earns him Jaime's respect. Jaime offers him valuables in trade for the stolen comic book, to which Carlos refuses. When a long sigh is heard, an orphan mentions a ghost, and it is explained to Carlos that a boy named Santi (Junio Valverde) had disappeared on the same night the
bomb was dropped. Ever since then, there has been a ghost haunting the orphanage. Jaime acts as if he doesn't believe in the ghost. Another night, Carlos sneaks out to the courtyard. He approaches the bomb and asks it to show him the ghost. In response, a paper streamer on the bomb is caught by the wind and leads him to the ghost, but when the ghost touches him, he becomes scared, so he runs away. The ghost follows him into the main building, and Carlos locks himself in a closet, where he sleeps. Later when Carlos looks in Jaime's sketchbook and finds a picture of Santi, the ghost, he realizes that Jaime knows more than he's telling.Jacinto has been in the orphanage for a long time, and despises the place. His girlfriend Conchita (Irene Visedo), (on whom Jaime has a crush) has plans with him to get married. He is aware of the existence of a stash of gold at the orphanage, and he uses sexual favors to steal keys from Carmen (Marisa Paredes), the head of the orphanage. Carmen loves Dr. Casares, though she is unwilling to acknowledge this. Dr. Casares is embarrassed by his impotence and it seems to inhibit his confidence relating to the physical aspect of his love. Jacinto is unsuccessful in stealing the right key to the safe.
On a trip to town, Dr. Casares witnesses Carlos' tutor and his bodyguard being executed by the army. Dr. Casares plans to lead the orphans away from the orphanage, because of the rapidly escalating war. Jacinto demands the gold but is forced to leave at gunpoint.
As the orphans and staff prepare to leave Conchita discovers Jacinto preparing to blow up the safe. She threatens him with a shotgun, he taunts her, and she accidentally shoots him in the shoulder. In the ensuing melee, Jacinto succeeds in burning much of the orphanage down before leaving. The explosion kills Carmen and many orphans, leaving many of the survivors badly wounded, including Dr. Casares. Dr. Casares promises the boys that he will never leave and takes up guard duty over the remains of the orphanage, waiting at the window with a shotgun for the return of Jacinto.
The night after
the explosion, Jaime tells Carlos that he was present when Santi was killed. They had been collecting slugs near the cistern, a sort of man-made pool of water in the cellar under the kitchen. Santi hears a noise and discovers Jacinto trying to break into the safe. Santi runs back into the cellar and Jacinto follows. Jacinto tries to threaten Santi; when they struggle, Jacinto slams him against the wall. Santi goes into shock from his head wound and Jacinto panics. He ties weights to Santi's body and hides him in the cistern. Jaime has witnessed all of this from his hiding place.The second day after the explosion, Dr. Casares dies at his post, and Jacinto comes back looking for the gold. En route back to the orphanage with two co-conspirators he meets Conchita, walking to town for help. When she refuses to apologize to Jacinto for shooting him, he stabs and kills her.
Jacinto and his friends imprison the orphans and then set about looking for the gold. His friends soon grow impatient and leave him, but he eventu
ally finds it. Meanwhile, the orphans realize they'll be killed once Jacinto finds the gold. They sharpen sticks with shards of glass and escape their prison, with the aid of the ghost of Dr. Casares. Luring Jacinto into the cellar, they stab him and push him into the same pool of water Santi was drowned in. Weighted down by the gold and dragged down by the ghost of Santi, Jacinto also drowns. The surviving orphans leave, being watched by the ghost of Dr. Casares.