To: The Cypress Bend Creative Team
From: Cora, Continuity & Accuracy Editor
Date: October 202X
Subject: Continuity Review – Chapter 45: Epilogue (The Bell Rings)

The conclusion of any narrative arc is where the foundation either holds or buckles. After reviewing the epilogue, I have assessed the internal logic of the "new world" versus the "old world" established in the previous 44 chapters.

### 1. STRENGTHS
*   **The Temporal Anchor:** The passage "six months of sweat and friction" provides a precise timeline for the establishment of the settlement’s agricultural phase. This aligns well with the "spring" planting mentioned in the following paragraph.
*   **Physical Trajectories:** The description of Silas's "heavy, uneven thrum of boots" and "tremors in his hands" consistently tracks with his previous characterization as a man who has endured significant physical trauma.
*   **Tactile Evolution:** The transition of the characters from industrial laborers to agrarian pioneers is supported by the change in sensory details—moving from "burning oil" and "iron tracks" to "peat" and "tallow."

### 2. CONCERNS
*   **The "Three Locomotives" Discrepancy:**
    *   **The Conflict:** Silas states in Chapter 45: *"They’re still wondering how... three locomotives just... evaporated into the woods."*
    *   **The Established Fact:** Chapter 14 established the heist involved **two** Class-4 locomotives and a series of freight cars. Unless a third engine was acquired off-page during the "Great Diversion" in Chapter 32, this is a numerical contradiction.
*   **Lena’s "Amnesia":**
    *   **The Conflict:** Lena tells the traveler she *"didn’t know what a train was. Said she hadn’t heard a whistle in so long she’d forgotten the sound of it."*
    *   **The Established Fact:** According to the timeline established in this very chapter, they have only been in the Bend for **six months**. Furthermore, Lena was the primary navigator for the rail-jump in Chapter 38. Claiming she "forgot the sound" or "doesn't know what a train is" feels like a poetic exaggeration that borders on a continuity break. It suggests a much longer passage of time (years/decades) than the "six months" established at the beginning of the chapter.
*   **The Survival of the Surveyor's Stake:**
    *   **The Conflict:** Marcus looks at a "rusted remnant of a surveyor's stake."
    *   **The Established Fact:** In Chapter 2, it was established that the Cypress Bend valley was "uncharted" and "off the colonial grids," which was why they chose it for their disappearance. The presence of a surveyor’s stake implies the land was previously gridded by the very company they are hiding from.

### 3. AMBIGUITIES (Non-Contradictions)
*   **The "North Pass":** This is the first mention of a "North Pass" accessible by foot for travelers. Previous chapters suggested the valley was rimmed by "impassable" limestone cliffs. While a trail could have been cleared, the ease with which a lone traveler found the settlement warrants a brief internal check on the "secrecy" established in the mid-book.

### VERDICT: MINOR FLAGS
The chapter successfully closes the emotional arc, but the **"three locomotives"** vs. **"two locomotives"** is a hard factual error that needs correction. Additionally, I recommend softening Lena’s dialogue; she can reject the world of trains without claiming to have forgotten what they are, which contradicts the established six-month timeline.

**Action Required:**
1. Align the locomotive count with the Chapter 14 manifest.
2. Adjust Lena’s dialogue to reflect a "rejection" of the iron world rather than "forgetfulness," to maintain timeline integrity.