The year is 1869, on the heels of the American Civil War. Three stranded siblings: Jonah, Mary, and Tally are forced to leave the security of their homestead, in order to reach a distant trading post in Waterford, Massachusetts. Having loaded their possessions onto an ox-drawn cart, they set forth on the treacherous journey. Along the way they encounter a wounded convict in need of help. It soon becomes apparent that he is not the man he claims to be, and the situation quickly worsens. Their resilience and courage are tested beyond the limits of their imagination in order to survive.