The last train to Moose Jaw stops in 2027. A
dust storm swallows the tracks, and the town’s
power grid fails. The railway station becomes a
makeshift shelter, its rusted walls holding back
the dead.
A boy named Eli, 17, lives alone in a derelict
caboose. He’s been shunned since his father
vanished during the blackout. His only companion
is a crow that perches on his window, watching.
The town’s leader, a former engineer named Mara,
enforces strict rationing. No one leaves after
dark. Those who do don’t return.
Eli finds a journal buried beneath the station’s
floorboards. It’s written in Cree, but he
recognizes the symbols—his grandmother’s
handwriting. The pages speak of a spirit called
KitchiWaabush, a guardian of the land that once
protected the railway workers.
Mara discovers Eli reading the journal. She
confiscates it, warning him to stay away from
the old stories. But Eli sneaks back, following
the crow to a hidden tunnel beneath the station.
Inside, he finds a mural carved into the stone:
a figure with antlers, standing over a broken
train. The crow lands on his shoulder as the
walls tremble.
A girl named Lila emerges from the shadows.
She’s the daughter of a trapper who disappeared
years ago. She claims the spirit is real, and
that the railway was built on sacred ground.
They argue. Lila accuses Eli of being too afraid
to face the truth. Eli accuses her of hiding
from the past.
The tunnel collapses. They escape, but the dust
settles on the tracks. A new train appears in
the distance, its lights flickering.
Mara orders everyone to the shelter. The train
doesn’t stop. It passes through the town,
leaving a trail of black smoke.
Eli and Lila follow the tracks, crossing frozen
lakes and abandoned campsites. They find a
campfire where people have gathered, whispering
about the train.
A man steps forward. He’s wearing a railway
jacket, but his face is scarred. He says the
train is a test. Only those who understand the
land can survive it.
Eli and Lila are the only ones who stay. They
build a fire, share food, and talk about their
families. The crow watches from the trees.
The train returns. This time, it stops.
A woman steps down, her eyes glowing like embers.
She speaks in Cree.
Eli understands. The spirit has chosen them.
The train departs. The town begins to rebuild.
Eli and Lila walk toward the horizon, the crow
flying ahead.


