Tristan is about to turn fifteen. He enjoys the good life his parents have built for him. And yet, it won't be long before his environment of protection, affection and comfort crumbles. From then on, he will learn the taste of loneliness, sadness and that survival is often more important than life.

During a train ride, a teenager recalls his upbringing in 1940s small-town Georgia and the events that have led to this point.