Paul Johnson lives a quiet life. Teaching English in a Sheffield Comprehensive, looking after his daughter, cooking for his wife, the surface of his life is the height of stability.



But Paul can't walk to his car without chanting to himself, trying to drown out the voice pulsing through his mind: You can't keep them safe. You can't keep them safe. He has learned how to calm his panicked students - but not himself.



One grey morning, the calm veneer of his life is fractured when he discovers that his favourite student Laura has died. Now, his intrusive thoughts threaten to jeopardise everything. Facing accusations that he was too close to Laura, Paul must find a way to voice his darkest fears, unlearning the stoic masculinity passed down to him, or lose the family he loves.