Kiley, age eleven, is a reluctant addition to her friend's family's camping trip. When her first menstrual period confronts her, she struggles unsuccessfully to find support from the people around her. In a state of frustration, Kiley decides to search for comfort and meaning elsewhere. Wandering away from her campsite, led by her curiosity, Kiley encounters a pair of strangers. In these first moments of her womanhood, Kiley sinks into a new understanding of herself; she is completely alone in a mysterious fluxing body.

Neve is an independent scientist whose life is lit by her passion to understand the meaning of the sacrificial practices of ancient Indian tribes. One night, she dons scuba gear to dive to the bottom of a lake that is said to hold important ritual remains. When her oxygen tank malfunctions, Neve's body risks sharing the fate of those she studies.
With her body now stricken with the bends, Neve must confront the historic underpinnings of her passion and realize that her body is always embedded within the landscape itself.