A mother and her perceptive son confront fear, social alienation, and a forest predator while seeking belonging in a remote village.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A New Village, Old Fears
Chloé and Jules arrive in Saint-Martin seeking a fresh start. Reports of a mutilating beast and a frightening night sound disturb the village's apparent peace.
Key Events
Arrival at Saint-Martin — Chloé and Jules settle in the village as she seeks a new life and a teaching position. Characters: Chloé, JulesLocation: Saint-Martin village
The Forest Beast Rumors — Farmers report a beast that kills and guts calves without eating their flesh. Characters: ChloéLocation: Saint-Martin village
Noise Behind the Veranda — A night noise frightens Chloé, and she cuts her hand while sharply closing the veranda door. Characters: ChloéLocation: Chloé's house
Meeting the Doctor — Chloé visits the closed, charismatic doctor Mathieu and becomes attracted to him. Characters: Chloé, MathieuLocation: Mathieu's medical office
The Doctor Under Suspicion
Chloé becomes attracted to Mathieu, while Jules connects the doctor's strange behavior with Jeremy's disappearance and death. Jules's fear turns into direct suspicion.
Key Events
Jeremy Disappears — Jules reads a sign announcing the disappearance of an eight-year-old boy named Jeremy. Characters: JulesLocation: Saint-Martin village
The Body in the Lake — Jeremy's body is found drowned, deepening Jules's fear of the suspected monster. Characters: JulesLocation: The lake
Mathieu Looks Suspicious — Jules watches Mathieu wash his mouth, pick his teeth, growl, and spit red liquid. Characters: Jules, MathieuLocation: Mathieu's house
A Child's Dangerous Proof
Jules runs to the lake and attacks Mathieu after discovering the drawing. His confession reveals the terrifying creature he believes visits him at night.
Key Events
Jules Sees Chloé's Embrace — Jules sees Chloé in Mathieu's arms and leaves early the next morning in anger. Characters: Chloé, Jules, MathieuLocation: Chloé's house
The Lake Drawing — Mathieu finds Jules's drawing on the mirror, showing that he went to the lake. Characters: Chloé, Mathieu, JulesLocation: Jules's room
Stones at the Lake — Jules throws an oar into the water, knocks Mathieu unconscious with stones, and swims home. Characters: Jules, MathieuLocation: The lake
Mathieu Explains the Attack — Mathieu returns with a split eyebrow and explains to Chloé why Jules attacked him. Characters: Chloé, MathieuLocation: Chloé's house
Jules Confesses His Fear — Jules tells Chloé that he sees a meat-eater, that Jeremy was first, and that he will be next. Characters: Chloé, JulesLocation: Jules's bedroom
The Party's Hidden Threat
At the neighborhood party, Mathieu and Chloé display romantic tension while Jules encounters Alice. Children force Jules toward the forest, turning social pressure into immediate danger.
Key Events
A Kiss Before Departure — Chloé tells Mathieu that Jules is sleeping, and Mathieu kisses her before going home. Characters: Chloé, MathieuLocation: Chloé's house
The Neighborhood Party — Chloé brings Jules to the party, where Alice paints his face and Mathieu approaches him with meat. Characters: Chloé, Jules, Mathieu, AliceLocation: Neighborhood party
Mathieu Claims the Dance — Mathieu drives away the hunter dancing with Chloé and begins waltzing with her. Characters: Chloé, MathieuLocation: Neighborhood party
Children Send Jules Away — Children threaten Jules and force him toward the forest despite Alice's protests. Characters: Jules, AliceLocation: Behind the party
Alice Reveals the Forest Path — Chloé cannot find Jules, then Alice returns from the forest and tells her where he went. Characters: Chloé, AliceLocation: Neighborhood party
Birds Against the Beast
Jules is hunted through the forest and realizes escape is impossible. He confronts the creature, summons his bird friends, and returns safely to Chloé and Alice.
Key Events
The Forest Chase — Jules disables his device, cannot hear Chloé, and is repeatedly chased by the forest monster. Characters: Jules, ChloéLocation: The forest
Birds Defeat the Monster — Jules faces the monster, summons his bird friends, and sends them to pierce and kill it. Characters: JulesLocation: A rock in the forest
Hands Joined on the Road — Jules finds Chloé, embraces her, and later takes Alice's hand while Chloé watches with a smile. Characters: Chloé, Jules, AliceLocation: Road to the village
Story Breakdown
Village Arrival — Chloé and Jules enter Saint-Martin hoping to rebuild their lives.
Fresh Start — They settle in the village while Chloé pursues work as a schoolteacher.
Forest Rumors — Farmers describe a beast that mutilates calves without eating them.
Nighttime Unease — The apparently peaceful village begins to feel threatening.
Veranda Noise — A sound outside frightens Chloé and causes her to injure her hand.
Doctor Encounter — Chloé meets Mathieu and becomes drawn to his reserved presence.
Jules Investigates — Jules links the missing boy's death to Mathieu's disturbing behavior.
Jeremy's Disappearance — Jules reads the notice about Jeremy, an absent eight-year-old boy.
Red Evidence — Jules interprets Mathieu's mouth-washing and red spitting as monstrous behavior.
Lake Confrontation — Jules acts on his fears and brings the adult conflict into the open.
Mirror Drawing — Mathieu discovers a drawing indicating that Jules went to the lake.
Stone Attack — Jules knocks Mathieu unconscious and returns home with a fever.
Party Pressure — The neighborhood gathering exposes both social cruelty and emotional tension.
Alice's Support — Alice paints Jules's face and remains concerned about his safety.
Forest Threat — Children threaten Jules and force him toward the forest.
Forest Victory — Jules transforms fear into decisive resistance and reunites with his mother.
Monster Pursuit — The creature repeatedly chases Jules while he cannot hear Chloé calling.
Bird Assault — Jules summons his bird friends, who pierce and kill the creature.
Village Return — Jules embraces Chloé and takes Alice's hand on the way back.
Six-year-old Jules and his mother Chloé land in deserted French countryside. To start a new life, far from a painful past, she has accepted to take over the village school. But the apparently quiet community is consumed by the unexplained disappearance of a little boy months ago. Mathieu, the town doctor, is not insensible to the newcomer’s charm. As he becomes closer to Chloé, her son Jules grows increasingly anxious. He knows it, he can feel it: Mathieu is the beast, that now wants to devour him and take his mother away.
