Witt and Shy Henley are still learning to navigate adolescence in their rural home town of Fayette, Virginia when their dysfunctional family falls into the cold hand of poverty. The siblings' trust in each other is tested as the Henleys eventually crumble into homelessness. Holed up in "Tent City", a smattering of haphazard shelters harboring Fayette's homeless in the woods behind Wal-Mart, Witt and Shy must contend with their drunk, manipulative father while caring for their ailing mother and imaginative younger sister. Witt forges a friendship with Deke, a penniless kid with braids from the housing projects near the woods. Witt and Deke come from different sides of Fayette, but they have more in common than meets the eye. Fated for failure, they struggle to find the courage to retaliate against the powers that dictate their lives. The fickle flames of fear and bravery burn deep in the heart of the forest. With little to gain from their actions, and a dire list of consequences, the teens must choose wisely.

But don't expect any mercy. There's little room in Fayette for yet another set of broken dreams.