It's spring of 2000, and the Collins family leads a tranquil life in Fairfax, Virginia. Richard and Miranda raise their two daughters, 8-year-old Kimberly ('Kim') and 6-year-old Magdalene ('Maggie') with much love and care. Richard is a successful businessman and Miranda is an interior designer. Both girls are spoiled rotten by relatives; little six-year-old Maggie is, as many would say, the most beautiful child they've everyever seen, while Kim, having a quieter aspect, has a great talent for singing. Her mother thinks about sending her to a music school so she couldcan develop said talent.
The two sisters often bicker with one another, fighting over their father's attention often, but there is little doubt that the two love each other very much. Their grandmother, Emilia, is responsible for their home schooling, and Lia, their au-pair, can testify that they're both very well behavedwell-behaved and a joy to have around.
It's on May 25th of 2000, when everything changes. While Richard is on a business trip, Miranda is left home with the girls,. She promises to shower them with presents and toys from their father upon his return. She calls in Lia, and her brother-in-law, Noah, to help with some of the house'shousehold chores. That very same night, the girls wish for their uncle to read them a bedtime story. They're wide awake, cheerful after having the man take them to the movies hours earlier. However, their mother insists that they must rest; there's a long day ahead of them, as their grandmother is to give them both French lessonlessons the next morning, followed by dance class in the afternoon.
Maggie reluctantly goes to bed and falls asleep moments later. She's somewhat annoyed when Kim insists on opening her music box and singing quietly, and she mumbles to herself ofherself how 'annoying' her sister is, wishing, for the millionth time, for Kim to just shut up for once.
However, tiredness wins over and Maggie indeed falls asleep. Once she wakes up, her whole world turns upside down.
The first thing Maggie faces when opening her eyes, is the looming, ominous silence that greets her. Her mother's voice and the annoying sound of Kim's cheer are totally absent. In fact, Kim is not even in her bed. For the first time ever, her sister woke up earlier than her. Maggie gets out of bed to look for her mother and sister, however,but they don't respond to her callingcalls. The kitchen is empty, no breakfast in sight. The bathroom? Emptybathroom is empty as well, as Kim is not there either.
Wondering if her mother is still asleep, Maggie climbs up the stairs to the master bedroom, and an ear-piercing scream escapes her at what she finds.