Miss Sibyl, an aging spinster who lives alone in a dusty, decaying house. Once a respected caregiver at a local hospital, Sibyl now lives in near-total isolation after being let go under mysterious circumstances. Her only companion is a baby doll—lifelike, dressed in frilly clothes, and cradled as though it were real.

To Sibyl, it is real.

The play unfolds as Sibyl prepares for the arrival of an inspector from a local social services agency, who is coming to check on a complaint about a "child in distress" heard crying in her home.