Deeply wounded from the recent death of his older sister, Connor MacNeil, a brilliant high school senior, is torn between two seductive paths: reclaim his former self and rejoin the living, or surrender to his grief and dissolve away forever. Hiding from the world behind an orgy of indulgent, self-destructive behavior, Connor is sent to a high-octane Christian youth retreat where he comes head-to-head with the stern Sister Jean. A duel of a war or words and wits ensue, but only one can win, and survive.