On a hill in the rural American south lies a fancy plantation home called Wickwood. The house had been home to the Wickley’s—a family of prestige and privilege until they were inevitably forced to leave due to economic circumstances. Their house is now abandoned.

In the same countryside, live many young sharecroppers. Among them are Hubert and Jess, a married couple living behind a cornfield in a small shelter. Jess had always lived in this area. She courted Hubert and they eventually were married and had children.

Hubert is a share-laborer, but he wanted to be able to rent land and use it as his own. Eventually, they were able to rent some land and have pigs. A woman named Frannie asked Hubert what they named their sow. Hubert told this to Jess and she found it laughable that people would think of naming their animals. Jess often submitted to whatever Hubert’s decisions were. She is glad to have him make her decisions. She is often placid but sometimes became quite angry.

Jess has a few friends who come to visit her. Among them is Frannie Burt. Jess made sure that the house had finer food and extra eggs when Frannie came. Frannie is a prominent figure in their rural society. Frannie often told stories of the families who lived in the community. Frannie tells of a Miss Annie who has a couch that was a gift from the Wickley’s. Frannie continues to tell a scary story to Jess’ kids about an Ogre also called The Thing who eats humans and Life itself.

Jess looks forward to when Frannie leaves. She often would become passive-aggressive and usher Frannie out. Jess also tells her children to be quiet when they bring up Frannie’s stories.

One day, a man comes looking for Hubert and offers him a piece of the Wickley’s land to farm. Hubert and Jess would be able to live in the house on the property. Hubert tells Jess that it is unlike anything they have ever seen. Jess cannot fathom living such a fanciful lifestyle. Jess insists that the home is the place for other types of women—women which she cannot even fathom.

Frannie returns one day and tells Jess more stories about the Wickwood farm. The Wickley’s had done experiments on animals there. She was neighbors with a woman who worked on the farm, Miss Annie. Frannie’s stories are all Miss Annie’s stories. Frannie tells Jess that once one man wanted to rent some of the Wickley’s land and they felt the man was not good enough to live in their home and farm on their land. The Wickley’s called the man a hog. The Wickley’s were upstanding people in careers of high importance. Frannie tells Jess about their socialite activities and dances they had.

Jess asks where the Wickley’s are now. Frannie does not know.  

Jess and Hubert were going to move into the Wickley’s old house. Jess can imagine figures of the Wickley’s there.

They arrive at the new home one afternoon. The place had an unsettling wideness and openness to Jess. The children were frightened. Jess felt frightened and then soothed as her husband yelled at the kids. She realized that their things would fit into the strangeness of the home. Jess did not know how he knows which of the buildings and entrances would house them, but she followed her husband as he told them where they would be living.

Inside, they cooked dinner and set up the cookstove. The children were upset until the food was served and they all felt comfort in the beginning to live in the new place.

Jess wondered the next day about the place and the various buildings and amenities. Her husband went to get fowls that day and Jess explored the grounds. She was frightened by all the things she was unfamiliar with.

Jess knocks on the door to their house. There is silence. She rings the bell. There is silence. She cannot make sense of the greatness of the place. Jess goes inside the great hall. Jess becomes angry, calling out “What is this place.” She slips over the smoothness of the floor and wishes to destroy the great fireplace. She calls out the names of the Wickleys. She feels a heavy sadness as she cannot imagine the type of people who lived in this place.

One day in January, they bring the ewes to the new home. They bring all their sheep into the great hall. Some of them were giving labor. Hubert had to go out to the barn. He instructs Jess to close the door after him. She does. After she returns to the parlor, she sees an apparition drifting toward her. She ignored it and continued tending to the sheep.

She looks up again and is certain there is an apparition drifting towards her. She lunged forward and beat at the creature as it beat at her. She and the creature became one. They had been beating at a mirror from opposite sides. Jess stood back and realized she had broken the great mirror in the hall.

Hubert returns and they tend to the sheep. Jess felt more at peace at home now, especially with Hubert there. They count the lambs that had been born and are satisfied. They let the lambs rest in the hall.