PRICE: $50,000

GENRE: Coming-of-age

SYNOPSIS:

ACT 1

Two boys, Casey and Tommy, between the ages of 10 and 12, decide to play hooky. They walk along the train tracks until they stumble upon an abandoned train graveyard, where a light shines from one of the cars. Intrigued, they decide to enter. Here, we flash forward to Tommy 20 years later, but he is now a complete shell of the Tommy we just got to know. We witness his deteriorating living condition and his father, Tommy Sr., who is starting to struggle with his memory. Tommy begins to experience visions of the train yard, Casey, and a shadowed man as he tries to fall asleep. He cannot grasp the significance of these images as he has blocked them out. However, that night he receives a phone call revealing that Casey has committed suicide. Memories start flooding back, and he realizes he must remember. Determined to pay his respects, he decides to return home for his friend's funeral.

ACT 2

The second act revolves around Tommy and his father, who find themselves trapped together in the car, embarking on a journey into the past. Along the way, they encounter a diverse range of people from various backgrounds, each with their own stories, some inspiring and others tragic. As they draw nearer to their destination, Tommy Sr. becomes increasingly anxious about the journey, his memory failing him and his distress intensifying to the extent that he disappears into the woods of a motel on a snowy night. Jr. is left with no choice but to venture into the woods in search of his father.

ACT 3

The men finally arrive, driving down the same road depicted in the opening scene with young Tommy and Casey. The once vibrant main strip now appears desolate and barren, mirroring the changes that have occurred in both the town and Tommy Jr.'s life. Upon reaching their motel, they realize they lack appropriate clothing for the upcoming funeral, which is mere hours away. They make their way to a small Salvation Army, where they encounter a local resident who curses Tommy Sr. and urges him to leave.

Eventually, the men arrive at the funeral, and Casey's mother immediately captures their attention. Tommy Jr. shares a brief but intense moment of eye contact with her before she quickly looks away. During the funeral, Tommy experiences yet another vision. When he awakens, his father and the other attendees have vanished, leaving Casey's mother sitting alone in the front row. It is here that she reveals the truth about what happened on that fateful day.

According to her account, the two boys ventured into the train yard and encountered a man who sat with them, imparting valuable life lessons. When Tommy Sr. and his friends discovered the boys with this man, they brutally killed him due to his status as an outcast. Casey's mother discloses the whereabouts of Tommy's father, prompting Tommy to embark on a journey down the tracks.

As he walks, memories flood back, accompanied by the gentle descent of snowflakes. Tommy now recalls everything, and as he gazes upon the train yard, he notices a light emanating from one of the cars.