 Diana and her younger brother Georgie live in the woods near Oak Hill Manor, known locally as the Old Willis Place after its last inhabitant, a cruel old woman named Lilian Willis.Diana and Georgie have many rules they must follow, including never going beyond the chained driveway that marks the edge of the property, never going into the house itself, and never speaking to anyone or allowing themselves to be seen.The county hires caretakers to live in a mobile home on the Willis property; however, none of the caretakers ever lasts very long.