White tees on a black sky under the stolid deadeye beam’s watch; manic blue brother flashes blind panic eyes; and the silence persists. The cow bell night train blazes night speed, shatter-rattling and cutting the quiet. Then it returns: that starless night without sound.

Ghosts from the underworld, Pluto drags vigilant Cerberus through the street unseen. These battle beach blocks have no thermostat save neck fur at full attention. Deadeye, Brother Blue, and Deputy Dispatch keep this contrast alive — gunshots, glass, and no sirens.

When the locomotive bears down, they’ll be ready or gone.