Content Warning: The narrative includes depictions of bullying, physical violence, and psychological abuse. Some of the language used in the novel also reinforces body shaming and fatphobia.

A boy named Peter is led, blindfolded and with his hands tied, to a strange place where all he can see are stairs. There are no ceilings, no floors, and no walls around him, and he finds himself alone on a landing. Scared and confused, Peter wonders whether he was brought here as a punishment or a mistake. He decides to wait until someone comes to get him.

Peter, who has fallen asleep on the stairs, dreams about the orphanage where he used to live. There, he had a friend named Jasper who protected him. After he wakes up, still confused about his current situation, Peter sets out to explore the place. Soon, he notices another figure climbing another flight of steps and calls out to them. The newcomer introduces herself as Lola, a brash 16-year-old who is also an orphan and was brought to the house of stairs under the same circumstances. At first, Lola thought she was being punished for sneaking a snake into the matron’s bed at the orphanage, but she realizes that it is unlikely.