A few years ago Earl succeeded in affirming a child's fear of the boogieman when he broke into the Tollhurst household and hid under their six-year-old's bed to escape getting caught robbing the house. When Earl decides to cross off "made a kid scared of the boogieman" from his list, he discovers just what kind of lasting affect he had on the little boy. Ever since Earl's surprising visit, the kid has been afraid of the dark. But when Earl begins to take the time and energy to resolve his fear, the boy grows attached to Earl and decides he'd rather live with him than with his indifferent father. The boy soon realizes however, just how much his father actually cares about him and how much he would fight Earl to get him back.