Alone in her abandoned neighborhood on Halloween night, 10-year-old Elena is surrounded by ghost memories of her past. On the ruined playground where she used to go with her little sister, she solves a puzzle, uncovers a unique invention and is given the gift of hope for her future—but not before experiencing the scariest night of her life.

Set on the Gulf Coast of Texas in 1959, Elena's story is historical science fiction—an atypical Halloween tale that rides the waves of the fantastic while always staying close to shore.