Words can be dangerous...sometimes deadly, even for the person who writes them. In a time when the mere publication of a poem may lead to death, the writer Daniil (Mirkus Hahn) plans to write a subversive novel. When he starts his work, disregarding the warnings of his writer-friend Sakerdon (Hendrik Arnst), he receives a visit from a strange old woman. Her sudden death turns Daniil's life into a nightmare. While the authorities are closing in on him, Daniil gets more and more lost in the entanglements of his novel. The film is based on the last short story of the surrealist Daniil Charms, who was persecuted during the Stalin-era and died in prison, pursuing the question of how far a man is willing to go for the sake of his values.