Kennedy Sait, a great novelist, becomes a recluse after losing his family in a car accident and witnessing his newest work explode. He uses drugs and alcohol to mask the anguish he feels. Kennedy's life gets turned around after meeting his neighbor's new wife, Patricia. Infatuated with her, she becomes his "muse," inspiring him not only to create again, but also to live again. But his love for her turns into a dangerous obsession. And in order to avoid losing Patricia, he kidnaps her and imprisons her in his attic. Police comb the neighborhood in the hope of locating the missing woman, unaware that she has been hiding right beneath their noses the entire time. Patricia maintains a level head and is constantly on the lookout for an escape route, but she believes she will never be free of her captivity as Kennedy's hold on reality continues to deteriorate.