The Train

 In the quiet town where Kelly Kumula and Tommy Berninga have grown up together, life moves at a predictable pace—until it doesn't.

Kelly, with his quick smile and quicker mind, and Tommy, thoughtful and loyal to a fault, have been inseparable since they could walk. Their days are filled with the everyday adventures of youth: exploring hidden corners of their neighborhood, sharing secrets, and dreaming of futures that stretch endlessly before them.

When they're chosen as altar servers at the local church, it marks a rite of passage, a step toward the adults they're becoming. 

But on that first Sunday morning, as the church bells ring across town, the two friends make a fateful decision.

"Let's race," Kelly challenges, eyes bright with the thrill of competition.

Tommy hesitates, weighing the risk as he always does.

Some challenges can't be ignored, and some choices can't be undone.

A train whistle sounds in the distance. A moment of exhilaration. The thunder of approaching steel.

And in an instant, childhood ends.

The Train is a poignant exploration of friendship, those pivotal moments that define us, and the fragility of time we too often take for granted.