A young boy named Danny, who is lonely and sickly, forms a unique bond with a rat named Ben. This rat turns out to be extraordinarily intelligent and is the leader of a violent rat pack. Danny, who is dealing with personal issues and the absence of friends, embraces the companionship Ben offers. The bond between the boy and the rat deepens as they spend more time together, with Danny unaware of the havoc Ben's rat army is causing in the nearby community. This friendship provides Danny with the emotional support he needs, but it also isolates him further from his family and other social connections.

As the story unfolds, the community becomes increasingly terrorized by unexplained attacks and mysterious deaths attributed to the growing and aggressive pack of rats led by Ben. The authorities are baffled and desperate to find a solution to what they perceive as a dangerous infestation. Tensions rise as Danny finds himself torn between protecting his only friend and the inevitable clash between Ben's rat pack and human society. The conflict reaches a critical point as Danny's secret bond with Ben threatens to come to light, forcing him to confront the realities of his attachment and the consequences it brings to his own life and those around him.