The devil's backbone

During the Spanish Civil War, the twelve year-old boy Carlos is left behind by his family in an orphanage in the middle of nowhere. Dr. Casares and his wife Carmen run the orphanage and the former orphan Jacinto, who lives with the teacher Conchita, is responsible to take care and for the maintenance of the place. Jacinto is an ambitious and violent man and has a love affair with Carmen trying to steal the key of the safe where Dr. Casares and his wife hide the gold that is used to support the Republican forces. Carlos is bullied by the strong boy Jaime, who is the leader of the other boys. One day, Carlos feels the presence of a ghost and soon he learns that he is the orphan Santi that is missing. Carlos sees Santi several times and one day he learns the dark secret of his disappearance.