After his father's death and his mother's swift remarriage, Russell begins to feel that he has a lot in common with Hamlet. So he is slightly appalled when he and his mates, Adam and Curt, manage to ruin the entire play during an excursion to the Theatre Royal.

Banned from the school trip, and determined to keep their misdemeanour from their parents, the boys head for London. With little money and nowhere to stay, they end up at Heathrow Airport, wandering between terminals in an effort to remain undetected. As the days pass, Russell retreats further into himself and his memories and the past threatening to overwhelm him. Eventually, he is left alone, and must choose between escaping his troubles and confronting their cause ...