Fourteen year old Matthew Freeman is living in Ipswich ever since his parent's mysterious death by drowning which he somehow prophesised. Matthew his been living with the guilt of not warning his parents about their upcoming death. Since then, he has become a juvenile delinquent, but one of his thefts goes horribly wrong when his cowardly friend stabs a security guard in the back and flees. Matthew is arrested and given a choice between jail and living in the country with an old woman named Jayne Deverill. Matthew should have chosen jail, as he quickly discovers that the village he has been sent to is actually inhabited by a coven of evil witches who are seeking to free a horde of demons known as the Old Ones who were somehow imprisoned by Matthew himself thousands of years ago, along with four other children. Matthew defeats the villagers and reimprisons the Old Ones, but has to live up to his responsibility as a Gatekeeper – one of the Five – when he learns a second Gate is opening in Peru.