After René gets rid of his brutal stepfather, he leaves the home and is separated from his brother Lars because he gets adoptive parents. He believes he can now experience a normal childhood and adolescence. But appearances are deceptive. His adoptive parents Gundula and Josef only tell him what to do. They can't show the child any feelings, even though the boy longs for security.

After three years, his brother Lars joins the family. Lars is unhappy there and persuades his brother René to commit suicide. When this fails, he tries to strangle René and later tries to suffocate him with a pillow. Gundula and Josef decide that Lars must return to the home. René blames himself. He runs away, steals and one day even gets a prison sentence. In prison, he only experiences beatings and sexual abuse. Will he break or does he have a chance of surviving this hell?