A patient in a prison-like facility for the mentally ill, Tom becomes a member of the "Sky-blues," the name he gives to the other patients as a group. Each of them has distinct personalities stemming from their conditions, but the most notable among them is named Chico, as his unwavering positivity and innocence brightens the rest of the Sky-blues' lives. Despite this, Chico runs into more trouble with the staff than the rest, as he is more resistant to their orders. Chico tells Tom of his past as a veteran, and of his disease, which is slowly killing him. Neither stops him from living happily, though, and the simplicity of his happiness allows it to spread to the other patients, who watch his antics daily. However, Tom admits that Chico can occasionally go too far, as when he "jokes" with the staff about suicide by showing them he has a razor blade, which leads to him being sent to solitary confinement. As time passes, Chico becomes fascinated with a tree growing in the facility's yard, which he decides to protect and nurture, to the antagonistic amusement of Junglebunny, a recent addition to the Sky-blues, who is vindictive towards Chico. After another incident causing Chico to once again be sent to solitary, Junglebunny kills the tree. Chico attacks him in grieving retribution, until the staff pull him back, and they later bury the tree. Chico tells Tom stories of his family on the outside, and shares that he thinks he will die soon, which Tom believes despite not wanting to. Both topics become increasingly pressing in their conversations, as Chico fears that his death approaches. Strangely, one day, one of the staff members who Tom calls Specs speaks to him in private, asking him if he believes Chico is Christ. Tom says he doesn't, but feels as if he is betraying Chico somehow in doing so, which makes him push Chico away when he later sees him. That night, Chico dies, to the chagrin of all the Sky-blues, who all attend his funeral. As Tom stands before Chico's body, he does not know what to do for his friend. Then, he feels as if he can feel Chico's spirit before him, happy in death as he was in life. After he leaves the facility, Tom still remembers Chico's happiness.