Jake has been his mother's carer since she was injured in an incident of domestic violence. He hates and fears Shark, the perpetrator. When a fire begins in the woodshed he believes that Shark is responsible, but when he discovers it is in fact a football playing dragon, Jake begins a fantastic journey that leads to his discovery that he is not so alone. Does the dragon really exist, is it a dream, or does the idea of it provide a means of escape from reality?