The City of Fire

In the fresh‑kissed mornings of Sabbath Valley, a quiet mountain town cradled by towering peaks, fourteen‑year‑old Billy Gaston watches the world from a hidden spot on the Pleasant View platform. He’s drawn to the stone church’s bell tower, the hum of the rail lines, and the steady rhythm of the freight agents who keep the mountain’s lifeblood moving. While the valley’s simple charm beckons, Billy’s thoughts swirl with the promise of earning a few extra dollars for the Saturday ball game and a glimpse of something larger than his everyday chores.

The arrival of a bustling train packed with ladies and children headed for the lakeside hotel throws the station into lively motion, and Billy finds himself thrust into the role of helpful runner, juggling luggage and keeping pace with the bustling crowd. As the sun glints off spruce and pine, his quiet reverence for the valley’s beauty meets the sudden, shadowy stir of a new, imposing freight agent—a presence that hints at challenges and choices yet to come.