Donna, Piggy, and Russ are best friends, but like in any trio, the dynamics are different between each pair. For example, Donna is in love with Russ, and Piggy exhibits "beta male jealousy" by being extra loud and obnoxious. Curious, the three decide to go to the edge of the world one day to explore, Russ having learned about it for history class. At the edge, they find a staircase, and, naturally, start to descend it.
At first the gang is full of excited adrenaline, chattering as they navigate the staircase full of trash and debris from other explorers. After a few hours of descending, the staircase becomes more dilapidated—at one point a few are missing, which they jump. Donna is tired and annoyed by the adventure at this point, which seems futile and pointless, but she soldiers on, seeing Russ' obsessive look. Though they are dead tired, Russ keeps them going, concerning Donna with his need. The staircase eventually turns into crude steps cut into the rock cliff itself, and ends up at a series of caves, beautifully carved.
Russ tells them the history of the caves, saying it was an old monastery, where monks learned to use the power of Chaos and Desire, which was part of their creation myth, to wish things into existence. Donna finally blows up at Piggy's wisecracks, leaving him sputtering and red, his insecurity showing through. The three get high as Russ tells them more of the history of magic within the caves, and they end up wishing for things themselves—Donna for an understanding of people, Piggy for a way back up the staircase (they had no way back up the missing steps they'd jumped), and Russ wishes he had never been born, sounding bleak. When Donna turns to him in concern, he has disappeared, and Piggy doesn't even remember who Russ is.
On their way back up the staircase with a torn off wooden railing to scale the gap, Donna is weighed down by the knowledge that she might be the only person in the world who remembers Russ. More than that, she now understands Piggy's posturing perfectly, able to nearly read his mind. The three got their wishes, just as they'd spoken them, and Donna alone had to live with the consequences of what they'd done.