White Lightning

A twelve‑year‑old boy named Marvin roams the bustling streets of early‑1900s Chicago, his eyes glued to the glowing forge of a blacksmith’s shop. The sight of water dousing the flames and the fire’s sudden, brighter burst ignites a fierce curiosity about the hidden forces of nature. He spends afternoons in his father’s cluttered den, where prisms of light split across copper sieves and the mystery of “what part of water burns” becomes his personal puzzle.

Marvin’s father, a weary mining engineer, watches his son’s daring experiments with a mix of pride and apprehension. When Marvin asks to free hydrogen, the conversation drifts between scientific wonder and the danger of playing with unseen power. Surrounded by a lively, sometimes chaotic family, Marvin’s restless spirit pushes him toward the edge of discovery, setting the stage for a youthful adventure that balances brilliant imagination with the perils of unchecked curiosity.