This is the story of a young boy's initation into life. The setting is a small town in the Philippines. And although the story revolves around Filipinos, the events have a certain kind of universality in the sense that we are all too human: subject to the same blind prejudices, gripping emotions and baffling tribulations. Junior has made the accquaintance, and become a close friend of the town's simplewoman named Kuala, and a leper called Berto. The two outcasts of the town have become lovers and now stay in a hut in the cemetery. Kuala becomes pregnant and is about to give birth to a baby. Berto seeks the help of the town doctor who, however, refuses to listen. Berto threatens the doctor with a knife and takes him by face. As they get near the hut, the succeeds in freeing himself and runs away from Berto. A policemn who is in the crowd shoots down the leper. Amid the noise of the curious crowd, Kuala has given birth alone in the hut. She dies after the delivery, but not before recognizing Junior's father. Cesar, as the father - fifteen years ago - of an earlier child of hers, who had been aborted. THe whole town then learns of the reason for Kuala's insanity.